Wine

Regions

Old World

France

Loire

CENTRAL VINEYARDS

The Central Vineyards are so-called because they are in the center of France (not the center of the Loire Valley), which graphically illustrates how far the Loire Valley is stretched out. In this district of scattered vineyards, the classic wines-dry variations of the Sauvignon blanc-are all white. The vineyards of Sancerre are quite close to Chablis.

Most well-known of all the towns in this district is Orleans, famous for its liberation by Joan of Arc from the English in 1429. The other important town is Bourges, which is situated in the south between the wine villages of Reuilly, Quincy and Menetou-Salon, and was once the capital of the Duchy of Berry To the west is Romorantin, which gives its name to one of the Loire's more obscure grape varieties.

THE REGION'S SAUVIGNON BLANC WINES

The Sauvignon blanc is to the Central Vineyards what Muscadet is to the Pays Nantais. It produces the classic wine of the district and, like Muscadet, this also happens to be both white and dry. But two dry white wines could not be more different in style and taste. In the best Muscadet sur lie there should be a yeasty fullness, which can sometimes he misread as the Chardonnay character of a modest Macon. In Central Vineyard Sauvignons, however, whether they come from Sancerre or Pouilly- or even from one of the lesser-known, but certainly not lesser quality, villages around Bourges, the aroma is so striking it sometimes startles. The rasping dryness of the wine's flavor catches the breath and can only come from one grape variety.

When grown in a cool climate like that of the Loire, the classic varietal characteristic of the Sauvignon blanc is the aroma and flavor of gooseberries. Sometimes this attribute is less pronounced and the bouquet may be more reminiscent of grass or fresh straw Some of these wines may evoke wet woolly socks, a damp dog, cat's pee or elder flower (which is a polite way of saying cat's pee).

All the white wines of this district are a variation on one theme- the clean, crisp, sometimes green and aggressive varietal character of Sauvignon blanc; but there are some discernible differences. A Sancerre has a concentrated flavor, while the best Pouilly-fume has great finesse. More often than not, Menetou-Salon is fresh and floral, Reuilly lighter but not lesser, and Quincy pure and supremely supple. That said, the styles can vary more from grower to grower than from village to village. The effect of the same vintage on each village is different: even those who generally like Pouilly-Fume more than Sancerre can prefer the greener quality of the latter in very hot years.

SANCERRE VARIATIONS

There are fourteen communes in the AOC area of Sancerre, each producing not one but various styles of wine according to the location, exposure and the soil on which the vines grow In the commune of Sancerre itself, which includes the hamlet of Chavignol (a name that is creeping on to many labels), the vineyards with the greatest reputations are Clos Beaujeu, Clos du Paradis and Les Monts Damnes. Four kilometers (two-and-a-half miles) southwest, Bue consistently produces the very best Sancerres of the entire appellation from the vineyards of Clos du Chene Marchand and Le Grand Chemarin. The superbly located Clos de la Poussie in Bue should make a strikingly good wine, but regularly fails to achieve its potential. Clos de la Poussie has just one owner, a firm named Cordier, which is renowned for the high quality and good value of its Bordeaux wines, yet manages, year after year, to turn out a Sancerre totally lacking the vitality expected from the Sauvignon blanc grape.

A BURGUNDIAN INFLUENCE

Historically this region was part of the Duchy of Burgundy which explains the presence of Pinot noir vines. After the scourge of phylloxera, the area under vine shrunk and that which was brought back into production was mostly replanted with Sauvignon blanc, which began to dominate the vineyards, but isolated spots of Pinot noir were maintained. Some of the wines they produce today can be very good, although they are extremely delicate in style; however fine the quality, they are but a shadow of the Burgundian Pinot.