Jean-Paul Picard Sancerre – Les Perrois

The Picard Cuvée Prestige is now labeled Les Perrois in honor of the long history of this domaine. The “perrois” are the large piles of stones gathered by hand in a much older era to make it possible to grow vines. They mark out an exceptional terroir, from which wines of great purity are produced.

100% Sauvignon blanc. Only made in best years, this wine comes from select, old-vines parcels from the two great vineyards of Bué, namely Chêne Marchand and Grand Chemarin. These old-vines vineyards (60+ years) share a southern exposure. The grapes are hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard. Because of the very low yields of these vines (between 3 and 5 bunches per root, 40 hectoliters per hectare), the grapes are very ripe.

After whole-cluster pressing and cold-settling, the alcoholic fermentation starts with natural yeasts, very slowly. The goal is to preserve the maximum expression of fruit and terroir. A part of the juice, 80%, remains in tanks and the other 20% in 400 liter barrels (50% new oak and 50% one year old barrels, medium toast from Allier wood),  which give the wine significant structure and aromatic complexity. Aging lasts one year. The lees are worked regularly (bâtonnage every week at the beginning for the barrels, every 2 weeks for the tanks) in order to bring out more fruit and fat during the aging process. Before bottling these two parts are blended. Fined and filtered. About 3000 bottles produced.

This refined white wine is pale gold in color and displays delicate white peach and floral aromas, with a rich, full mouthfeel and long finish. As a Cuvée Prestige, Les Perrois Sancerre Blanc requires a little aging to unlock its full potential.