Today we continued to explore Sancerre.

Almost all of the appellations of Sancerre lie on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé, in the eastern-most part of the Loire Valley. Sancerre is well regarded for and primarily associated with Sauvignon Blanc, making wines of great purity and elegance. Pinot Noir is also grown, accounting for around 20% of the region's production. A rosé style from Pinot noir is also produced.

The focus of Sancerre winemakers is usually to express the pure fruit flavors of Sauvignon Blanc and the natural terroir of the region. Here we find the famous Silex soils: Silex is a type of sedimentary soil that is rich with flint. In fact, silex is the English word for flint. Silex is basically a harder limestone soil and can have an almost metallic look. Sancerre wines tend to have very little interaction with oak, instead spending most of their fermentation and aging period in large stainless steel fermentation tanks. 

However, since the late 20th century some producers have begun experimenting with some degree of
oak fermentation or aging. 

At Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre, winemaker and owner Kevin Lauverjat was our host. He took us on a cellar tour, followed by a seated tasting. 

I met Kevin's parents, Christian and karine Lauverjat, several years ago at Paul's in Washington DC at a tasting. See: The Sancerre Wines of Christian and Karine Lauverjat 

Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre

Owner of Domaine de Vrillères is the husband and wife team Christian and Karine Lauverjat. The Domaine lies in the village of Sury-en-Vaux in the heart of the Sancerre appellation. The property has been in the family for several generations, but Christian and Karine are the first to make and bottle their own wines. The 30 acres of vineyards are on the slopes of one hill, with two main soil types. The upper part of the hill is dominated by a limestone clay soil, known locally as terre blanche which produce full
bodied, well-structured wines. The lower part of the slope has a pebble limestone soil known locally as caillottes which tends to produce lighter and more fruity wines.

Bowler Wines

The Lauverjat family has been farming in Sancerre for generations in the tiny village of Sury-en-Vaux. For many years, the family had a mill on a tiny river called La Belaine that is next to the winery and they used to mill their own wheat; the winery is still known by some as the "Moulin des Vrillères".They have 110 hectares of grains, including wheat, hops, and rapeseed and 13 hectare of vines in Sury-en-Vaux and Sainte-Gemme-en-Sancerrois, two small villages within the Sancerre appellation. In 2019, Karine's son, Kevin joined Karine's husband, Christian at the winery after finishing his studies in Beaune. Their daughter, Suzie, helps Karine run their wine and gift shop in the center of Sancerre.

Sury-en-Vaux and Sainte-Gemme sit next to each other, which is a big risk in terms of weather because the vines are in a small area and for that reason, they purchase fruit in tough years. They purchase from cousins or other family friends and the intention is to give them an insurance of survival in case their vineyards are damaged, rather than to make more wine. They farm following sustainable viticulture. They favor working the soil and have used a pulverized seaweed to combat disease since 2008, allowing them to reduce chemical treatments for mildew by 30%. They never use herbicides or pesticides and they grow grass in the rows to prevent erosion.

They make Sancerre in all three colors, white, rose and red. They have a special old-vine parcel of Sauvignon Blanc that is bottled on it's own and it's called "Perle Blanche". They also have a small parcel just outside of the Sancerre appellation that is an IGP Sauvignon. They have an excellent Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fume in their line up as well. In the cellar the whites are made in thermo-regulated tanks and the reds are made in large wooden conical tanks. Several years ago, they invested in a new clay filtration system that allows them to very gently filter the wines without stripping them of their character. The wines from Lauverjat undoubtedly represent some of the best values to be had from the appellation.

Elite Wines: Lauverjat (Karine, Christian, & Kevin)

The Lauverjat family have been growers in Sancerre for generations, but only recently switched to making wine at their Domaine. The estate is a family owned business comprising 80 hectares. Our winery is designed with respect for the traditions of our ancestors while incorporating the most modern vinification techniques. Our vines, averaging 30 years old, grow on 12 hectares of A.O.C.

 Arriving

Cellar Tour

Tasting