A Lunch Tasting In Loire
Sancerre, France
Wine Style: Loire
Average Price: $ / €
Overall Rating: 94 points
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Château Owner:
Brochard Family
Hubert Brochard wines are from the Loire (L’wahr) Valley, located in northern France. The Appellation of wines follows the Loire River which is the longest in France, stretching over 600 miles from the central regions in the East and emptying out into the Atlantic Ocean in the West. It is often referred to as “the garden of France,” because of the abundance of vineyards and orchards that line the banks of the river.
The Loire Valley is one of France's larger wine regions, encompassing approximately 310 square miles and about 185,000 acres of commercially planted vineyards within its boundaries. There are fifty very diverse sub-appellations within the region also. The farthest eastern region is Sancerre and the furthest west region is Muscadet, on the border of the Atlantic Ocean. UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River Valley to its list of World Heritage Sites. It is characterized by its rich cultural landscape, illustrating the ideals of the Renaissance on Western European thought and architecture.
Sancerre is one of the most famous white wines in France. It is also a small village with a typical castle in the Loire valley. Sancerre white wines are typically more delicate than close-by Pouilly Fumé. Sancerre matures a little bit faster than its neighbor. The grape varietal that they mainly use to produce the wine is Sauvignon Blanc, but there are about 20% pinots grown as well. A rosé style from Pinot noir is also produced in a style similar to Beaujolais. There are two different styles or terroir; marl and limestone vineyards. The first is fruity and well balanced, the second is full flavored but less stable. Sancerre is produced in 15 villages. The wines coming from Bué and Chavignol are rated as the best. White Sancerre was one of the original AOCs awarded in 1936, with the same area being designated for red wines on 23 January 1959.
My tasting of this wine was while enjoying a wonderful lunch at a countryside style bistro called Le Grand Chancelier in the commune of Cheverny after a tour of the Château de Cheverny. I asked for a recommendation of a nice Loire Valley wine to go with my meal and ordered a bottle of the Hubert Brochard. Gathering information from the vineyard of Sancerre Blanc located on the best hills of the villages of Chavignol, Sainte Gemme, Ménétréol, Amigny, Thauvenay, and Sancerre.
GRAPE: 100% Sauvignon.
AGE: The average age of the vines is about 30 years.
SOIL: According to the slopes of 40% limestone 30% flint 30% clay
ORIENTATION: South, South-West.
PRODUCTION: It varies with climatic conditions, it does not exceed 68 hectoliters per hectare.
HARVEST: Early October.
Wine and Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palette Experience:
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Sancerre Blanc Classique
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Winemaker Notes:
This white wine full of freshness reveals its exceptional typicity of Sauvignon Blanc dry and fruity.
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Winemaker Notes:
Originating from three clay, flint, and limestone terroirs, it offers a very elegant floral and vegetal palette.
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*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
I refer to myself as an oenophile though, oenophilia is defined as “a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation.” In a general sense, oenophilia also refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by a layman - which I am, and not qualified as a professional. I just enjoy drinking it, so my rating is based on enjoyment and the overall experience, not the science of an expert.
Overall Star Rating:
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94 points
5 of 5 Stars:
An Extraordinary Tasting Experience
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Wines Produced
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Red: Pinot Noir
White: Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Pouilly-Fumé
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Regulatory
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Bottle Prices
(excluding taxes)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major wine countries and connoisseur’s**
Wine Selection:
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Currency rates in the top wine producing & wine purchasing countries:
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Price Chart :
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2012 (750 ml)
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€16.00
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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$18.00
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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$23.00
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Australian Dollar (AUS)
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$
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£14.00
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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$23.00
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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¥124.00
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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$25.00
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New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$
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R 239.00
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South African Rand (ZAR)
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R
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Currency rates as of July 2017
Domaine Hubert Brochard:
Chavignol, 18300
Sancerre, France
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+33 2 48 78 20 10
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Fax:
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+33 2 48 78 20 19
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Email Contact:
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Tasting Room hours:
France Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - BST Offset + 1:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
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“I like cooking with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”
TTFN
