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The May 2017 Distinguished Cellar Auction, Part III
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1 / 2Lot 765
Estimate: $65
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Collection name
Reviews
93WA
"The 2010 Sancerre Belle Dame has a darker and intenser ruby color compared to the 2009 and its bouquet is even more intense, concentrated and multi-layered quoting remarkably precise ripe aromas of red berries (wild strawberries), rock cherries, figs and rosehip along with floral, malty and ethereal as well as meaty flavors. Full-bodied, juicy and impressively intense on the palate and structured by finest yet firm tannins and an extremely delicate acidity this is an excellent and persistent Pinot Noir character made from perfectly ripe and processed fruits. The 47 ha family estate is surely one of the finest Sancerre producers. Corresponding to Demeter, Biodyvin and Ecocert regulations for the past couple of years, three generations (with the two young cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron at the helm) cultivate their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir vines in the best limestone and/or silex sites and offer wines which are clear, precise and fresh but also pure, defined and thrillingly mineral and complex. Yields are kept extremely low here and harvest is done exclusively by hand. The cousins vinify (and partly bottle) their different parcels separately whereas the blend can vary from year to year. In contrast to most of the top producers in Sancerre the Vacherons cultivate their vines mostly on Silex (flint) soils which is to be found mainly in the eastern part of the appellation as well as in Pouilly-Fumé on the other side of the Loire river. This makes their wines firm, fresh if not piquant, very precise and rather vertical, even the reds. Wines from Vacheron often need some time to open up but they are really worth your patience. Pinots Noir is cultivated on almost 25% of the estate's holdings but the Belle Dame is queen and perhaps the most impressive wine of an remarkable estate."
Region
Red
Country
Score
"The 2010 Sancerre Belle Dame has a darker and intenser ruby color compared to the 2009 and its bouquet is even more intense, concentrated and multi-layered quoting remarkably precise ripe aromas of red berries (wild strawberries), rock cherries, figs and rosehip along with floral, malty and ethereal as well as meaty flavors. Full-bodied, juicy and impressively intense on the palate and structured by finest yet firm tannins and an extremely delicate acidity this is an excellent and persistent Pinot Noir character made from perfectly ripe and processed fruits. The 47 ha family estate is surely one of the finest Sancerre producers. Corresponding to Demeter, Biodyvin and Ecocert regulations for the past couple of years, three generations (with the two young cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron at the helm) cultivate their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir vines in the best limestone and/or silex sites and offer wines which are clear, precise and fresh but also pure, defined and thrillingly mineral and complex. Yields are kept extremely low here and harvest is done exclusively by hand. The cousins vinify (and partly bottle) their different parcels separately whereas the blend can vary from year to year. In contrast to most of the top producers in Sancerre the Vacherons cultivate their vines mostly on Silex (flint) soils which is to be found mainly in the eastern part of the appellation as well as in Pouilly-Fumé on the other side of the Loire river. This makes their wines firm, fresh if not piquant, very precise and rather vertical, even the reds. Wines from Vacheron often need some time to open up but they are really worth your patience. Pinots Noir is cultivated on almost 25% of the estate's holdings but the Belle Dame is queen and perhaps the most impressive wine of an remarkable estate."
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The world's most influential fine-wine producer and the benchmark for Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhone. Its appellation (AOC) system codifies geography, grape and method, and its wines set the global standard for age-worthiness and terroir expression.
A thin-skinned, terroir-sensitive red producing perfumed, silky and elegant wines of red-berry fruit and earthy complexity. It reaches its apogee in Burgundy.