Rich, opulent – ripe yellow plum and peach – but less aromatic than one would normally expect with Sancerre, this is a typical 2009. The label indicates 13% alcohol and, although this is not unbalanced I suspect that it is a good 13.5%. This is really a Sancerre to drink with food rather than to serve as an aperitif. A little smoked salmon, for instance, cuts the opulence a little and reveals more acidity. With age it may be that this 2009 and others, just like 2003 will lose some of its puppy weight making the acidity more apparent and giving this Sancerre more zip.
Pascal Jolivet's winery is just off the road between Saint-Satur and Chavignol. He has nearly 50 hectares of vines (49.50 to be exact) and has vineyards in Bué, Verdigny and Sainte-Gemme. For this cuvée 50% of grapes come from limestone soils (caillottes), 30% clay and limestone (argile calcere) and 20% flint (silex). I assume that, like other producers, his vineyards in Bué were hit by the hail storms, while those in Verdigny and Saint-Gemme escaped.
Available from Winerack@£14.99 a bottle.
