2022 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Blanc

Lucien Crochet is a pioneer in Sancerre. Winemaker Gilles Crochet inherited Domaine Lucien Crochet from his father, Lucien Crochet. The estate is actually the result of combining two of the family’s legacy vineyards, that of Gilles’ grandfather on his father’s side, André Crochet, and that of his grandfather on his mother’s side, Lucien Picard.

Gilles, a respected winemaker in his own right, oversees the property’s 35 hectares of grapes, most of which sit in Bué. Adjacent plots are also farmed in Crézancy and Vinon. 

The grapes for the 2022 cuvée of Sancerre are sourced from the vineyards in Bué, Vinon and Crézancy. After harvest, fermentation is done in stainless steel cuves at temperatures between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius. As with all the whites at the domaine, this wine sits in contact with the fine lies for a considerable period of time with the racking being done late in the spring following harvest. The first bottling occurs no earlier than July and frequently does not occur until September of the year following harvest.

This medium-bodied, acid-driven wine pairs well with lighter meats like roasted chicken, grilled fish (salmon and trout are favorites), and pork chops. And, in a delicious example of what grows together, goes together, Sancerre is wonderful with France’s creamy goat cheese – or any goat cheese, for that matter!