Sancerre blanc “Guigne-Chèvres” AOC 2020

The cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron have been working organically for many years, but only became biodynamically certified in 2007. This step was the logical consequence of the uncompromising quality thinking of the two, who have the grapes from the 47-hectare domaine all picked by hand.

The Guigne-Chèvres site is situated on a sloping hillside with a north-easterly exposure. The vines are on average around 40 years old and stand on red loam with Jura limestone. Spontaneously fermented, the wine is aged for ten months in Stockinger barrels.

Bright straw yellow with green reflections, bright and clear.

The 2020 Guigne-Chèvres from Domaine Vacheron appears on the nose like a deep, unfathomable well - a clear case for the carafe, and upside down with caracho. After a while, he is not exactly talkative, but at least he is eager to provide information. In a calm voice, he talks about wet stone like after a summer rain, slightly salty impressions of a sea breeze and about citrus, more from the oil of the peel than from the flesh of the fruit. Currants and currant leaf and white flowers are part of the narrative whose further plot unfolds on the palate.

Full of pressure and tension on the nose, you think this wine could burst on the palate. The melange of lime, aniseed, oyster shells and St. John's shrub oil is electrifying. The acidity as the vital vein of this monolithic-looking drink is enveloped by salty minerality and underpinned by gently pulsating bass. Despite its youthful stage and its initially reserved nature, it already hints at its full potential, which it will develop over the next five to ten years.