Sancerre le Chêne Marchand 2016

LUCIEN CROCHET

Sancerre le Chêne Marchand
2016

Country
France
Regulated designation
Appellation origine controlée (AOC)
Region
Loire Valley
Subregion
Centre Loire
Appellation
Sancerre
Varietal(s)
Sauvignon Blanc 100 %
Colour
White
Producer's website

About this winery

At Lucien Crochet the emphasis is on creating wines of finesse and complexity that are faithful to both terroir and vintage. The vineyards are located around the towns of Bué, Sancerre and Crézancy, the finest of which is the limestone-based Chêne Marchand vineyard. Gilles Crochet, Lucien's son, makes the wines as naturally as possible using indigenous yeasts. Through hand picking, careful selection of the grapes and long, slow ageing 'sur lie', Lucien Crochet produces sophisticated and...

See the LUCIEN CROCHET detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

This wine is produced from vineyards in the village of Bué (principally the “Clos du Chene Marchand”) that are planted uniquely to clay-limestone soils, known as “caillottes and griottes” which yield a wine of particularly fine quality and exceptional length. Usually harvested earlier than the other cuvées because of the excellent exposure of the vines to the sun, “Le Chene” maintains an elegant acidity in support of the ripe fruit of these well-positioned vines.

Tasting notes

Aromas of white fruit, peach then pear and pebble (terroir) The palate is very precise with a long mineral finish that is typical of the terroir. Hints of white fruit and a dash of pepper.

Press reviews

Vinous

- 95 points -

Rebecca Gibb MW, August 2022 (Vintage 2017)

Tasted as a half-bottle sample, the 2017 Sancerre Chêne Marchand is full bodied with ripe, baked apple fruit, almond meal and savory nuances. Starting to open up beautifully, it is finely textured and almost succulent in the mouth; however, on the finish, it's structured and a little grippy with a light chalky texture sitting on the tongue reminding you of its chalky roots. Long length. Drink now and over the course of the next five years to enjoy its savory deliciousness.

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Vinous

- 93 points -

Rebecca Gibb MW, August 2022 (Vintage 2018)

The 2018 Sancerre Chêne Marchand is a structured, powerful style with bucket loads of concentration. It is starting to take on savory, almond meal characters alongside a ripe apple flair. This is not Sauvignon-ey but is a wine that challenges and rewards. Long and complex. At 14.5% alcohol, the wine is certainly ripe and has a hint of warmth on the finish, but the wine is not unbalanced.

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Vinous

- 93 points -

Rebecca Gibb MW, August 2022 (Vintage 2019)

The 2019 Sancerre Chêne Marchand is not a single parcel; it's from as many as 14 plots across this lieu-dit. It's a blend of 80% tank and 20% futs (600 liters), and the result is initially tender and round but then comes forward with power and structure as well as a light coating of chalkiness residing on the tongue. Youthful, pure fruit, floral, with a subtle apple character. Not a wine for the faint hearted, but there's plenty to get your mouth around.

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