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EDITORIAL
SYLVAIN PATARD - EDITOR IN CHIEF
SANCERRE, OR THE TRUE FLAVOUR
OF THE EARTH
In some ways, Sancerre is a condensed version of the
French concept of terroir. Its landscape is distinctive
with the village clustered around the top of a hillside
crowned with flint pebbles that have survived erosion for
several thousands of centuries. Here, geologists refer to
an inversion of relief where the softer surrounding marl
and limestone have been eroded whilst the harder flint
has protected the land on the Sancerre hill-top.
The hills west of the village cover Jurassic limestone and
marl sediment and form steep inclines with small valleys
like the one in Chavignol scooped from their midst. The
asymmetrical shape of the landform is described as a
cuesta and there is no denying that the area’s geological
history has shaped the current topography, forming a
home for just over 3,000 bearing hectares, 80% of which
produce white Sauvignon wines.
The unique chemistry between the vineyard sites and
the climate coupled with this exceptional geology and
the multiple layers of soils – terres blanches, caillottes
and clay-silica referred to as flint – are what make the
vineyards of Sancerre so complex. That complexity is
further enhanced by many other factors, including
aspect, incline and vine age.
All of which provides additional proof of vines’ incredible
ability to display myriad personas and to render so many
nuances under a single banner – in this case Sancerre –
from a single grape variety for each of the three colours.
As the French author Colette*, who was born 50 km from
Sancerre, once said: “In the plant kingdom, only vines can
teach us the true flavour of the earth”.
*Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, known as Colette, was a French author,
actress and journalist born on 28 January 1873 in Saint-Sauveur-en-
Puisaye (Yonne).
6 SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE