Sancerre Rouge « Les Parcellaires » - Lieu-dit “Le Graveron” 2016

Terroir

The vineyard was planted in 1997 on the kimmeridgian marls of « Chavignol » located west of Sancerre at the end of la Côte des Monts Damnés. The grapes are exclusively sourced from this plot of 1ha 30.
Grape variety: 100 % Pinot Noir
Yield: 36 hl per hectare

Winemaking

After visiting the plot and tasting the berries, the grapes are hand-picked at perfect maturity in 12 kg cases. They are immediately brought to the cellar located nearby, to be carefully hand-sorted by 9 persons. The grapes are then destemmed before being gravity-fed into a wooden tank for maceration for 4 to 6 days. The must is daily stirred to perfectly release aromas and color.

The alcoholic fermentation takes place in these wooden tanks for 8 to 10 days. During this process, two pumping paired with a manual punching are carried out daily until mid-fermentation. The fermentation temperature does not exceed 25°C in order to preserve the perfect expression of the fruit and to offer a slow extraction of the tannins.

Once the alcoholic fermentation is done, the wine is racked by gravity and aerated. It is then kept at low temperature in stainless steel tanks until spring before the beginning of the malolactic fermentation.

Ageing

The wine is casked at ambient temperature in 615 litres wood barrels and in 228 litres oak barrels (new and one year) where malolactic fermentation will take place. lt is aged in french oak barrels for 10 months before being racked in stainless steel tanks with floating cap to develop its harmony and to be bottled 5 to 6 months later.

BOTTLING : without fining or filtration

Tasting notes

A deep-colored wine with garnet shades which is presenting a complex nose of black berry and fresh caramel notes. It then opens on intense notes of red fruits, chocolate and spices. The attack is fresh. The fine and silky tannins give a full-bodied wine which has a lacy structure. « Le Graveron » is unctuous with a brilliant end on notes of chocolate flavoured red fruits.

Ageing potential 

10 years

Best served at

16-17°C