108 Sancerre AC 2010
Gerard Boulay

Grape:100% Sauvignon (13.5% alc.)

This comes from 35 year old vines on the hills of Chavignol. Cuve aged and a lovely, bright pale colour with greeny glints, on the nose it offers pure, restrained sauvignon, with an evident salty character and hint of iodine which follows through on the palate with a touch of lemon, fennel and blackcurrant leaf. For drinking now to 2013.

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Gérard Boulay. His family have passed the domaine on from father to son since 1380.
Location:	Chavignol, near Sancerre
Size of domaine:	11 hectares (of which 6.50 for village Sancerre)
Grape:	100% Sauvignon, 30-40 yr old. 7500 vines per hectare, trained single guyot. Massale selection on 3309 and 41B rootstock.
Terroir:	Largely hillside vineyards, all in Chavignol. Mix of limestone clay marls and pure limestone soils 30cm above the limestone rock. South and south-easterly aspects on 25% hillsides at 260m above sea-level.
Viticulture:	On hillside sites, all the vineyards are enherbé between rows both to help reduce yields and prevent erosion. The vines are ploughed in winter and spring where the vineyards are flatter. No chemical deweeders used. Debuds to lower yields but never practices vendanges en verts. Uses sulphur against oidium, homeopathic doses of herbs and Bordeaux mix against pests, and only occasionally compost. 80% of vines hand harvested, 20% machine harvested (where flat). Yields 55 hectos per hectare. No chaptalisation in 2006 or 2007.
Vinification:	Pneumatic press – 4 hours pressing at very low pressure. Uses natural, indigenous yeasts. Vinified at 18°C, Cuve aged, no chaptalisation. Left on the fine lies until just pre bottling. No malolactics. Racked once and filtered by plaque. Bottled from April (3 mises during year).
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £13.08