Domaine Francois Crochet, Sancerre Rouge, Resérve de Marcigoué, Loire, France, 2023

Producer Profile

Just a few kilometres to the west of the town of Sancerre, and just a little to the south, lies the tiny commune of Bué, and it is here that you will find François Crochet and most of his vines.

The son of a vigneron, François took over the estate in 1998 and together with his wife Carine works 10.5 hectares of vines, encompassing all three of the principle Sancerre terroirs. François Crochet is an innovative winemaker with experience far beyond Sancerre. Although well travelled, having spent time in New Zealand, his heart is in Bué and here he produces his own distinctive style of this classic wine. Now a victim of his own success, François cannot keep up with demand, making only limited, hand-crafted quantities. These wines are some of the most precise and refined Sancerre around; intensely flavoured with crisp, refreshing acidity and great length.

Viticulture

"La Réserve de Marcigoué" - local dialect for "Thank God" is a grape selection from south/ south-east facing chalky hills. Most of these Pinot Noir grapes come from the famous terroir ‘Petit Chemarin’ and ‘Grand Chemarin’ located in Bué. These vines are 35 years old on average. Grapes are hand-harvested and rigorously sorted. The harvest date for each parcel is set after daily analysis of the juice and tasting of both grapes and juice in order to find the perfect maturity. The yield aimed for this cuvée varies between 30 and 40 hl per ha.

Winemaking

Thanks to a vibrating table and the careful work of the workers, grapes are sorted before being partly destemmed. Then they are transported into a wooden truncated vat on a conveyor belt. A native yeast fermentation starts after a cold maceration. Vatting lasts between 20 to 30 days according to the vintage. This wine is aged in large oak vats for 16 to 18 months. No fining.

Oak Ageing

Time: 14 - 18 Months
Type: French Oak Vat
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 15

Tasting Note

A very complex Pinot Noir from this outstanding producer. Rounded and velvety with lashings of cranberries, raspberries and soft smoky flavours.

Food Matching

This can stand up to rich beef and flavoursome game dishes.