Sancerre Mosaique Calcaire AOC 2022

Let's look at this special Sancerre edition, which the winery has been carrying as "Calcaire Mosaique" since the 2022 edition. The sites that produce this distinctive wine are predominantly characterised by limestone features and come from areas such as Les Boucauds, Les Chasseignes and Les Denisottes, known for Terres Blanches and Caillottes. Refinement of this wine is often in stainless steel barrels and, in some cases, in a lightly used larger wooden barrel, allowing it to age attractively over a seven-month period.

The colouring of this wine is composed of a medium straw yellow with hints of orange. Its bouquet is invitingly creamy, bright and silky - inviting with a well-composed blend of different fruits, including ripe pears, stone fruits, fully ripe lemons and white and green berries, complemented by a hint of exotic carambola. The flavour profile is rounded off by an overtone of white flowers and a hint of broom, based on the undertone of lime and chalk, mixed with lichen and herbs.

For the palate, this Sancerre offers an opulent experience with striking extraction, rich material and plenty of juice. While Domaine Vacheron's beginner Sancerre may seem more like a soprano, this edition presents more like a baritone. It offers a generous wine in the glass, characterised by yellow rather than green fruit. An impressive achievement by Stéphane Riffault, who gives this Mosaique Calcaire a remarkable freshness, finesse and balance, giving it a unique identity.

Suitable food recommendations include: raw tuna on a bed of avocado cream with lemon olive oil, peppery grilled chicken served with artichoke hearts and lemon dressing, or sole slow-roasted in a pot with a butter and lemon sauce, and a salad of red radicchio and fennel.