Domaine Masson-Blondelet Sancerre

This Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre is just full of rich ripe fruit, and so elegant. This white wine is well balanced with round, ripe gooseberryish flavours and a luscious almost honeyed finish.

Country

France

Region

Loire Valley

Grapes

Sauvignon Blanc

Vintage

2017

ABV

12

Code

10086

Style

White

14 generations of wine producers can be traced through the Blondelet family tree. Such deep rooted heritage is a fundamental reason behind the quality of Domaine Masson Blondelet as Jean-Michel Masson and his family have high personal reputations for quality to uphold.

They make, bottle and sell their wine from their 21Ha estate in the heart of the Pouilly-Fumé appellation. They are on south and south–east facing slopes, and enjoy a micro climate caused by the river Loire which protects them from extreme variations in temperature.

While not certified, (obtaining organic certification can involve a bit of political gameplay in France) all their viticulture is organic. They have not used chemical fertiliser for over 20 years, preferring to use organic substitutes. They also shun the use of insecticides and herbicides as much as possible as they believe such treatments damage the earth and mar the wine.

Their Villa Paulus label comes from vines grown on soils of Kimmeridgian Marl which helps give this Sauvignon Blanc that flinty edge synonmous with the Pouilly-Fumé appellation. The Blondelet’s minimal intervention ideology is carried through from the vineyard to the winery. Grapes are gravity fed into the wine press, temperatures are kept very low, anaerobic fermentation is kept in check and SO2 is used minimally in the bottling process. Chemical treatments are banned from their winery.

Today Jean-Michel’s son Pierre-Francois is taking over the reigns in the winery while his daughter, Melanie looks after the sales and administration side of things. From our point of view, it looks like this family affair is set to last a few generations into the future