7th March 2009
This is undoubtedly one of the new-style red Sancerres – an example of the rolling red revolution happening in Sancerre and elsewhere in the Central Vineyards. Empreinte is another of the wines that I picked out from the December 2008 tasting.
From a plot of 1.3 hectares with vines aged at least 45 years – hand-picked fruit with a yield of 26 hl/ha. Deep coloured red, concentrated black fruits – a powerful wine with some toasty wood notes that would be difficult to identify as a Sancerre red. If the Pascal Jolivet 2005 Exception was in the style of a Côte de Beaune, Empreinte is more Côte de Nuits with a nod towards Chile – perhaps Cono Sur’s 20 Barrels? Ideally needs more time and would surely age happily for at least five to eight years. Certainly impressive but I suspect that in vintages of Empreinte to come, Paul and Benoît Fouassier will be looking for a style that has greater finesse.
