The 2021 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Chêne Marchand comes from the most famous slope in the village of Bué, where the Pinard family has made wine since the seventeenth century. Brothers Florent and Clément Pinard now run the domaine, organic since 2001 and biodynamic since 2016. Their parcel of Chêne Marchand is about a hectare and a half on Oxfordian chalk, the small-pebble caillottes soils that give Bué its cut and tension.
Vinified with the domaine's own natural yeast in 600-litre barrels and raised on lees, the 2021 is the structured, long-lived side of Sancerre: nectarine and almost tropical ripeness over green gooseberry, a creamy thread from the lees, firm and concentrated inside a mid-weight frame, with a long chalky finish.
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, 95 points (July 2023), drinking window 2023 to 2033. Gibb has called Pinard one of her go-to Sancerre producers.
Ben's Recommendation:
At Wine More Cellars, this is the Sancerre for someone who thinks Sancerre is only for aperitifs. Serve at 11–12°C, decant briefly if opened young, and pair with roast chicken, scallops, goat's cheese or river fish in butter. Will reward cellaring to 2033.
