DOMAINE FRANÇOIS CROCHET, France

Doing much of the work in the vineyards himself, he is committed to hand harvesting to help maintain the quality of the resulting wine. Unable to make enough wine to keep pace with demand these wines are some of the most precise and refined Sancerres you will ever get to taste.

Viticulture

The vineyards, which are 30 years old on average, are divided into more than thirty parcels in the villages of Bué, Sancerre, Crézancy and Thauvenay. More recently, some parcels have come from Carine’s family in Verdigny and Sury-en-Vaux. The yields are controlled by bud reduction in the spring and in some cases a later green harvest. The harvest itself is entirely manual. This is a very small, hands-on operation, with François personally overseeing and also undertaking much of the work in the vineyard (no mean feat with such a parcellated domaine).

Winemaking

The grapes are harvested by hand, allowing them to be sorted first in the vineyard. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are table-sorted if necessary, when they arrive at the winery in trailers. The grapes are transferred to the presses by means of a belt. Pressing ensures high-quality juice without damaging the grapes. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures of 14 to 18°C depending on the cuvée. The Pinot Noir grapes are brought to the winery in 40 kg crates and are table-sorted before being destemmed. The grapes are transferred to the presses by means of a belt to avoid damaging them. Following cold maceration, fermentation takes place under controlled temperatures. The juice is run off after a few days of maceration. Gradual pressing gives off a pure press juice. The wines are then aged in barrels - 228 or 600-litre barrels - and in tanks; the proportion varies depending on the vintage and the cuvée.