Back to: Crisp, Dry Whites
White
Loire
Sauvignon Blanc
Cork
Dry
Light Oak
ABV 13.5%
Tasting notes
Marked herbaceous notes of elderflower and ivy as well as a strong hint of kiwi fruit. Very pleasant at the beginning of a meal, an excellent companion for seafood and white meat, developing roundness and delightful softness.
Why we recommend this wine
We have visited Sancerre and the surrounding areas many times because we really enjoy their style of Sauvignon Blanc. Wooded Sauvignon Blancs are not that common but Bourgeois wood almost all of theirs so they obviously believe in the style. We are not fans of wooded sauvignons because we think that they lose what we love about them. That said, this is a really good example of the style and leave it to you to make up your own mind.
The wine
La Vigne Blanche comes from vines grown on slopes separating the village of Chavignol from Sancerre, the terroir being an amalgam of clay and limestone chalk. The La Vigne Blanche is fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks at 15 – 18°C before being moved to oak barrels (older/used oak) for 5 months on its fine lees thereby preserving the aromatic potential and also rounding the palate and adding to its complexity.
The wine estate
Domaine Henri Bourgeois, now in the 11th generation of the Bourgeois family, covers 72 hectares in the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé appellations. Started by Henri Bourgeois over 50 years ago, the vineyards lie on some of the most rugged hillside terrains, offering the best exposures in the Loire Valley. Though the family is forever striving to perfect their craft, they remain committed to Henri’s original viticultural vision of showcasing the purity of the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes and the unique beauty of the Loire Valley. They have several dozen small plots of land (the family are pioneers in plot-based winemaking in the Sancerre region) including some of the very best soils for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in the region.
Their soils comprise
- clay-limestone, which gives rise to fresh, fruity vintages;
- Kimmeridgian marls, the remains of fossilised shells from the Jurassic era that give intense flavours of exotic fruits and a superb structure;
- flint, which initiates elegant wines with smoky, roasted notes and minerality of great finesse.
Vines are cultivated with complete respect for the environment. The grapes of each plot are tasted so that each one is harvested at optimum maturity.
henribourgeois.com
Food and wine
Seafood and white meats with creamy sauces and soft cheeses especially goats cheese. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here.
Did you know?
There is a bit of debate about the impact of soil on grapes and hence wine with some scientists arguing that it is impossible for roots to take up minerals. Be that as it may, the Sancerre area is a great place to taste wines made in exactly the same way but from different soil types - see our tasting notes at Dm Vacheron here and compare our Domaine Masson-Blondelet Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume sauvignons.
Marked herbaceous notes of elderflower and ivy as well as a strong hint of kiwi fruit. Very pleasant at the beginning of a meal, an excellent companion for seafood and white meat, developing roundness and delightful softness.
Why we recommend this wine
We have visited Sancerre and the surrounding areas many times because we really enjoy their style of Sauvignon Blanc. Wooded Sauvignon Blancs are not that common but Bourgeois wood almost all of theirs so they obviously believe in the style. We are not fans of wooded sauvignons because we think that they lose what we love about them. That said, this is a really good example of the style and leave it to you to make up your own mind.
The wine
La Vigne Blanche comes from vines grown on slopes separating the village of Chavignol from Sancerre, the terroir being an amalgam of clay and limestone chalk. The La Vigne Blanche is fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks at 15 – 18°C before being moved to oak barrels (older/used oak) for 5 months on its fine lees thereby preserving the aromatic potential and also rounding the palate and adding to its complexity.
The wine estate
Domaine Henri Bourgeois, now in the 11th generation of the Bourgeois family, covers 72 hectares in the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé appellations. Started by Henri Bourgeois over 50 years ago, the vineyards lie on some of the most rugged hillside terrains, offering the best exposures in the Loire Valley. Though the family is forever striving to perfect their craft, they remain committed to Henri’s original viticultural vision of showcasing the purity of the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes and the unique beauty of the Loire Valley. They have several dozen small plots of land (the family are pioneers in plot-based winemaking in the Sancerre region) including some of the very best soils for Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir in the region.
Their soils comprise
- clay-limestone, which gives rise to fresh, fruity vintages;
- Kimmeridgian marls, the remains of fossilised shells from the Jurassic era that give intense flavours of exotic fruits and a superb structure;
- flint, which initiates elegant wines with smoky, roasted notes and minerality of great finesse.
Vines are cultivated with complete respect for the environment. The grapes of each plot are tasted so that each one is harvested at optimum maturity.
henribourgeois.com
Food and wine
Seafood and white meats with creamy sauces and soft cheeses especially goats cheese. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here.
Did you know?
There is a bit of debate about the impact of soil on grapes and hence wine with some scientists arguing that it is impossible for roots to take up minerals. Be that as it may, the Sancerre area is a great place to taste wines made in exactly the same way but from different soil types - see our tasting notes at Dm Vacheron here and compare our Domaine Masson-Blondelet Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume sauvignons.