Sancerre
Sauvignon & Pinot from the Loire
On the limestone hills above the upper Loire, Sauvignon Blanc reveals just how much origin it carries – while Pinot Noir yields rosés and reds of quiet depth. We offer 16 available Sancerres from three winemakers, from entry-level cuvées to single-parcel bottlings.
Our Sancerres
What defines a Sancerre
At the far eastern edge of the Loire winegrowing region, where the river turns north, the vineyards of Sancerre rise above the banks – 14 communes, including Chavignol and Bué. Three soils shape three faces: the terres blanches of Kimmeridgian marl lend structure and ageing potential, the stony caillottes bring fragrance and early accessibility, and the silex provides the smoky tension for which Sancerre is renowned.
White Sancerre is always Sauvignon Blanc – recognised as one of France’s first appellations in 1936 – while rosé and red have been reserved for Pinot Noir since 1959. In the glass: citrus, gooseberry and, depending on the soil, a flinty note, carried by a cool, stony length; the reds rely on bright cherry fruit and delicate spice rather than power. Three winemakers form our selection: Domaine Vacheron, Claude Riffault and Matthias Planchon. And should the Loire be called upon to sparkle, the Crémant stands ready.
Origin
Upper Loire – 14 communes around the town of Sancerre, including Chavignol and Bué.
Grape varieties
Sauvignon Blanc (white), Pinot Noir (rosé & red).
Soils
Terres blanches (marl), caillottes (limestone), silex (flint).
At the table
Crottin de Chavignol, fish, seafood, asparagus; the red with poultry.
Sancerre blanc
Sauvignon Blanc, nothing else: depending on the soil, slender and fragrant (Caillottes), structured and age-worthy (Terres blanches) or smoky-mineral (Silex).
0.375 LSancerre blanc AOC 2025
Bone-dry, vibrant, with a smoky-salty texture – this Sancerre stands apart from the loud mainstream in the most welcome way. Caillotte, Terres blanches and Silex interweave into Burgundian precision. Mineral freshness and quiet depth in perfect balance.
Sancerre blanc "Les Herses" AOC 2022
White flowers, limestone and an iodine-laced maritime breeze – the nose is fine and ethereal. On the palate, a vibrant acidity drives the wine forward, accompanied by zestiness and subtle bitterness. Long, salty, mineral – Silex and 47-year-old vines speak clearly.
Sancerre blanc "Le Paradis" AOC 2020
Jasmine, currant, citrus peel – cool and multi-layered. Powerful on the palate yet of unadorned precision: limestone and chalk speak loudly through the silence. The finish lingers – mineral, salty, long.
Sancerre blanc "Le Paradis" AOC 2022
Orange blossom, white berries and citrus over a foundation of Jurassic limestone – the sun-kissed 2022 carries its ripeness with ease. Silky texture, lively acidity and mineral rock remain in perfect balance. The finish vibrates, fresh and spicy, like the soil from which it comes.
Sancerre blanc "Les Romains" AOC 2024
No loud Sauvignon Blanc – but a quiet, intellectual one. Wiry energy and compact texture are given fascinating depth by the smoky minerality of the Sancerre terroir. Farmed biodynamically, conceived in a Burgundian spirit: here the vineyard site speaks.
Sancerre blanc "Chambrates" AOC 2022
Cool, precise, with flint and citrus on the nose – here the terroir of Chambrates speaks for itself. On the palate, citric freshness combines with Burgundian depth, carried by polished acidity. The finish is long, saline-mineral and threaded through with a creamy texture.
Sancerre blanc "Guigne-Chèvres" AOC 2021
Stone, salt and oyster shell – the caillottes soils speak unmistakably. On the palate, pressure builds: lime, green pear and culinary herbs, threaded through with mineral rigour. The finish is long, salty, cool. Pent-up power, held in check by great finesse.
Magnum · 1.5 LSancerre blanc AOC 2024
Cool precision, citrus and green gooseberry – the nose is filigree and of aristocratic restraint. On the palate, a lively acidity carries the herbal-fresh elegance, underpinned by fine mineral tension. The finish: saline, long, marked by limestone.
Sancerre rouge
Red Sancerre is pure Pinot Noir – permitted since 1959, pale in colour, with fine cherry fruit and spice, conceived more in a Burgundian style than as something powerful.
Sancerre rouge 2020
Sour cherry, wild raspberry and a floral hint of violet – subtle and never overdone. On the palate, a precise acidity enlivens proceedings, carried by limestone and schist. The finish fades away fresh and mineral, with herbs and red fruit.
Sancerre rouge "Tirrepeine" AOC 2022
Cool precision in a luminous cherry red: lingonberries, barberries and a delicate sous-bois note lend depth to the nose. Juicy and clear on the palate, with silky tannins and salty silex minerality. A slender, lively Pinot Noir – Burgundian in spirit, unmistakably from the Loire.
Sancerre rouge "Les Herses" AOC 2020
Fresh cherries, cherry stone and cranberry, underpinned by cedar and Mediterranean herbs. Cool and slender on the palate, threaded through with steely minerality – flint, limestone, silky tannins. The finish lingers: graphite, herbal spice, pure precision.
Sancerre rouge "Les Herses" AOC 2021
Pale cherry red, cool and transparent. Fresh cherry, cherry stone and a touch of wild herbs – precise, never intrusive. Silky on the palate, threaded through with a salty silex vein, the fruit lively and balanced. A clear, long finish.
Sancerre rouge "Belle Dame" 2020
Wild raspberry, elderberry and a glimmer of dark chocolate – the nose promises much. On the palate, cool berry fruit carries a lively acidity, beneath which lies mineral depth from Kimmeridgian limestone and flint. Juicy, impetuous, with a long finish – a wine that deserves time.
Sancerre rouge "Belle Dame" 2023
Burgundian finesse, shaped by the cool Loire. Fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity and a taut mineral precision lend this Pinot Noir its aristocratic bearing. Farmed biodynamically, vinified with meticulous care – a red Sancerre of intellectual ambition and purist clarity.
Sancerre rosé
The rosé, too, is pressed from Pinot Noir: dry, pale and precise, with cool red fruit – entirely at home at the table.
Sancerre rosé " La Noue En Rosé" AOC 2024
Luminous salmon pink, wild raspberry and sour cherry, underpinned by herbal hints such as chervil and a touch of smoke and stone. On the palate, fine tannins and a vibrant spine of acidity reveal genuine seriousness. The limestone and marl of the La Noue vineyard site speak clearly and linger long.
Sancerre Rosé AOC 2025
No compromise between red and white – but a statement in its own right. Pinot Noir, precisely shaped on the limestone and silex of the Loire, with a dry character and mineral tension. Biodynamic care you can sense: freshness over fullness, poise rather than easy appeal.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sancerre?
An appellation on the upper Loire around the town of the same name, holding AOC status since 1936. White Sancerre is made from Sauvignon Blanc, while rosé and red wine come from Pinot Noir.
Which grape variety is used to make Sancerre?
White: exclusively Sauvignon Blanc. Rosé and red: exclusively Pinot Noir, permitted since 1959.
What does Sancerre taste like?
White Sancerre is dry and precise: citrus, gooseberry and, depending on the soil, a smoky flint note along with a cool, stony length. Red Sancerre shows bright cherry fruit and delicate spice.
What pairs well with Sancerre?
The classic match is goat’s cheese – Crottin de Chavignol comes from the very same village. Beyond that, fish, seafood, asparagus and green salads; red Sancerre accompanies poultry and delicate meat dishes.
What is the difference between Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé?
Both are made from Sauvignon Blanc on the upper Loire, separated only by the river. Pouilly-Fumé is always white, whereas Sancerre also comes as rosé and red – stylistically they are more closely related than their labels suggest.
How much does a good Sancerre cost?
Serious Sancerre starts at around €20 to €25. Single-vineyard and old-vine bottlings from the better estates range between €40 and €70.
Sancerre blanc or rouge?
The white from Sauvignon Blanc is the classic. Few people know the red from Pinot Noir; it is light and cool in structure and costs considerably less than a comparable red Burgundy.
How do you pronounce Sancerre correctly?
“Sã-sär”: the first n remains nasal as in French, the stress falls on the second syllable and the final e is silent.
Why is Sancerre so expensive?
A small appellation with slopes that demand manual labour meets the appetite of the world’s restaurants. By comparison, grower Sancerres from family estates remain fairly priced.