TASTE
Aromas of red fruit, strawberry, blackberry and some nuances of smoke and vanilla on the nose. The palate is delicate yet persistent, with fine red fruit flavours and graceful balance.
FOOD PAIRING
Veal · Game (deer, venison) · Poultry
PRODUCER
Lucien Crochet’s great-grandfather married into the Picard family, who had been winegrowers in Sancerre since 1765, and thus laid the foundations of Domaine Lucien Crochet. The estate now owns thirty- one hectares of vineyards planted in various parts of four communes in the Sancerre appellation, including the largest single holding of vineyard property in Bué. Hand-harvesting – a rarity in Sancerre – and the use of indigenous yeasts give particularly nuanced, elegant wines.
VINEYARD
The soil on the east, south-east and south-west facing vineyards is a mixture of Oxfordian limestone, white earth and Kimmeridgian marls. All grapes were hand picked.
WINERY
After double selection of the grapes, once in the vineyard and once at the winery, the grapes were destemmed. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks and lasted for thirty days, with daily punching-down and pumping-over. The grapes were gently pressed using a pneumatic press and aged for eleven months, sixty percent in barrel and forty percent in tank. After the two components were blended, they were allowed to marry for another eleven months in tank before bottling.