Region: France - Loire Valley - Sancerre
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 13%
Notes on the Wine
A careful selection of 100% Sauvignon Blanc from 25 year old vines planted clay, limestone soils. Hand-harvested, fermented in stainless steel with selected ambient yeasts. 280 cases produced of 2023
Notes on the Producer
The young and talented Emile Balland started his own domaine in 1999. Hailing from a long line of Sancerre vignerons (dating back to 1650!), Emile began to acquire his own parcels in the Coteaux du Giennois and Sancerre while finishing his studies in Agricultural Engineering (Angers) and Oenology (Toulouse). His total holdings are a mere 5 hectares, including 1 hectare in Sancerre planted mostly to Sauvignon, from which he produces his majestic ‘Croq’caillotte’ named for the limestone pebbles which are only found in the greatest vineyards of Sancerre-in Chavignol, Bué and Amigny, and a miniscule 0.12 hectares of 50-60 year old Pinot Noir vines in Bué which were planted by his great-grandfather and the source for his ‘Le Champ des Scandales,’ of which he produces about 800 bottles a year. The remaining 4 hectares are primarily in the heart of the Coteaux du Giennois appellation, at Bonny sur Loire and Beaulieu sur Loire, with 0.60 hectares situated at the southern extreme of the appellation, in Saint-Père, less than 1 kilometer from Pouilly Fumé. The silex-infused soils here create wines of incredible complexity and it is Emile’s mission to showcase how beautifully the wines of this unsung appellation can sing!
