DOMAINE DU NOZAY / SANCERRE / FRANCE
Sancerre, in the eastern part of the Loire valley, has been recognized as a wine AOC (Appelation d’origine contrôlée) since 1936, and is mainly associated with Sauvignon blanc (which accounts for 80 percent of its production, the remaining 20 percent is Pinot noir).
The town Sancerre lies on an outcrop of the chalk that runs from White Cliffs of Dover, through Champagne and Chablis.
A series of valleys cut through the chalk, each with their own microclimate and terroir, which explains the difference between the wines grown in the different areas.
Wines from Sancerre are known for their elegant and fresh character, and for that reason, they are generally unoaked.
Because of the strong demand for Sancerre-wine, most winemakers in this region use chemicals when producing the wine, in order to scale up production as much as possible.
Only a small group of vineyards work with ecological farming, and even fewer are completely biodynamic.
At the core of biodynamic farming (regardless of crop) is a holistic view of the world, where everything is part of the whole,
According to this perspective, if you tamper with one part of the process, it will have effects on other parts of the ecosystem.
Biodynamic farming was developed in the 1920s, as an increasing number of farmers began to notice strange and concerning effects of the modern production techniques and increased use of chemicals.
Food and wine didn’t taste the same as before, plants even looked differently and the natural synergy between different plants in the field seemed to have been lost.
The goal of biodynamic farming is to return to a more traditional way of growing food, with respect for all aspects and how they are interconnected.
Every season has its own role to play in the making of an excellent, biodynamic wine, meaning that the work chores of the farmer changes with the seasons. Instead of using force, the farmer will follow nature’s lead.
Domaine du Nozay, having been the owned and managed by Baron Philippe de Benoist and his wife Marie-Hélène since 1970, has been certified as an organic vineyard since 2011 and has been biodynamically certified since 2017.
Today, it covers 15 hectares, and the grapes from the vines are pressed with a pneumatic press, in order to obtain a clean must.
The resulting wine is proof that hard work and respect for nature and the land is worth it.
Domaine du Nozay La Plante Froide (2020)
100 percent Sauvignon. It has a golden yellow colour, a scent of white flower and citrus fruits. Serve at temperature between 10 and 12 °C if as an apéro, or between 12 and 14 °C, if serving it with food.
Domaine du Nozay La Marâtre (2020)
100 percent Sauvignon. Discrete aromas of citrus fruits, with an ideal acidity. To be paired with oysters.
Domaine du Nozay Sancerre (2020)
100 percent Sauvignon. The terroir is very rich in not only in limestone but also in shell fossils, and is thus often referred to it by its local name “terres blanches”. This wine expresses the freshness of terroir, together with a great mineral concentration.
