Sancerre, the emblematic wine of the Loire region

Sancerrois is a sub-region of the Loire vineyards, AOC since 1959. The hilly region offers a wide range of tasting possibilities for both red and white Sancerre. Three different terroirs share the region’s varied relief: terres blanches in the west, caillottes in the center, and clay-siliceous soils in the east.

Red Sancerre is a dry, ruby-colored wine with aromas of cherry, morello cherry and venison.

This is a full-bodied, long, firm wine that is usually enjoyed young. After aeration, Sancerre red reveals silky tannins.

Red Sancerre wines are light, low in tannin, fragrant and round, and go perfectly with white meats.

Red Sancerre, a 100% Pinot Noir wine

AOC Sancerre rouge is a varietal wine made from Pinot noir grapes. Pinot noir is one of the oldest grape varieties in the world, and is at the origin of more than a dozen varieties used today, such as Chardonnay and Gamay. It is considered a noble grape variety and is the oldest grown in the Loire Valley.

Originally planted mainly with Pinot Noir, Sancerre’s vineyards were decimated by phylloxera at the end of the 19th century. Sauvignon Blanc, particularly well adapted to the climate, replaced it. Pinot noir now accounts for 20% of Sancerrois grape varieties.

The Pinot noir grape produces red wines with very pronounced notes of red fruit, as revealed by its nose, in particular cherry and musk. When properly vinified, Pinot noir produces red wines of great elegance, with a wide range of aromas depending on how advanced it is.

Some winemakers also make Pinot Noir in oak barrels. After several years of ageing under these conditions, it becomes deeper and more robust, with a deep color and aromas reminiscent of ripe fruit, leather, toast… It has a good structure and sustained tannins and also has good ageing potential and can be kept for a long time.

Let’s get back to the three terroirs that give Sancerre its distinctive character:

The white soils of the Loire Valley are clay-limestone and perfectly suited to Pinot noir, producing full-bodied, robust wines.

The caillottes terroir, particularly stony and chalky, produces elegant, light, fine wines whose aromas develop more rapidly.

Finally, flint soils, otherwise known as “perruches”, produce straight, structured wines with characteristic “gunflint” aromas.

Pinot noir is one of the most difficult grape varieties to grow. It is capricious and particularly susceptible to disease. These characteristics mean that wines made from this grape variety are usually more expensive than the average.