Domaine André Vatan "Les Charmes" Sancerre 2023

"Les Charmes" is a well-balanced, dry wine with a light citrus and honey bouquet. Light gold in color, with a fragrant nose of ripe lemons, limes and grapefruit, floral and mineral notes and classic elderflower and cut grass scents. The palate is nervy and citrus-edged with mineral undertones and wonderful delineation. Ripe fruit comes through with bright, delicious ripe citrus, some chalkiness and a slight hint of grassiness in the background. Light bodied, very impressive feel on the palate with great complexity that totally delivers through the lingering finish. 

André Vatan has been at the helm of this small family domaine in the Sancerre appellation since 1988, when his father unexpectedly passed away. The winery has a collection of about nine small buildings that have the appearance of a rural hamlet, which the neighbors lovingly refer to as “Vatanville.” It’s very neat and tidy, in keeping with André’s character, as he is obsessive about his attention to detail. From the clean, well-organized cellars, to the stakes of his neatly aligned vineyards, everything is perfect. There are four vineyards, all located around the winery with carefully controlled yields, as André would have nothing else! 

All of this care and consideration has resulted in stunning Sancerres like this Les Charmes. Most of the fruit is grown in silex, a flinty, limestone-free soil that gives the fruit powerful, exotic, perfumed character. But there's also a small proportion from fruit planted in limestone soils, which adds smokiness and complexity. Manual harvesting, traditional vinification, no oak aging, full malolactic fermentation.