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What We Say 2008 'Le Tournebride' Sancerre AOC
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Mission Codename: The Little Room
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Acquire an exclusive and delicious Sancerre for our operatives.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Vincent Gaudry
Wine Subject: 2008 ‘Le Tournebride’ Sancerre AOC
Winemaker: Vincent Gaudry
Backgrounder:
The central vineyards of the Loire Valley is Sauvignon Blanc country with arguably among the best examples of the varietal being molded into the world’s best wines. The Sancerre AOC appellation sits on the western side of the Loire River across from Pouilly Fumé. The white wines of Sancerre must be 100% Sauvignon Blanc and are heavily influenced by the Terroir with its limestone, flint and marls composition. Classic Sancerre is bone dry with a redolent nose and vibrant flavors.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Crystal clear straw yellow with subtle golden hues that becomes more pale along the edges. When swirled, the slightly springy wine clings to the side of the glass before forming random slow legs that descend to the wine below.
Smell – Fresh in intensity with bright and fresh aromas of citrus and green stone fruit with flinty mineral notes of wet stone, and hints of subtle green grass and herbs and hints of orange blossom flowers.
Feel – Smooth and dry, with good weight, this medium bodied wine’s fresh fruit provides a slight touch of sweetness. Dry and crisp otherwise, with lively but balanced acidity and soft minerality.
Taste – Fresh and balanced with tart citrus and stone fruit, specifically Meyer lemon, lychee, and soft ripe peach is layered over flinty slate minerality and subtle hints of herbal grass and green herbs.
Finish – Clean, refreshing and crisp, this wine’s vibrant acidity, flinty minerality and good weight holds the fruit and other flavors perfectly as it gently fades and begs another sip.
Conclusion – The 2008 Vincent Gaudry ‘Le Tournebride’ Sancerre AOC is a delicious and fresh Sancerre that shows Sauvignon Blanc in its most simple beauty and finesse. Vibrant on the nose and palate with clean crisp fruit and its signature mentality makes this wine a perfect pair for oysters on the half shell. Initially a little tight, be sure to give this wine time to fully reveal its character.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Vincent Gaudry
WINE EDUCATION: My elders!
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Farmer : Wine-grower, Wine-maker, Businessman/Marketing
WINEMAKER QUOTE: Trust in nature
FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: 1997
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Vincent. We are thrilled to be showing your 2008 ‘Le Tournebride’ Sancerre today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
VINCENT: My pleasure, thanks for featuring my organic and bio-dynamic wine.
WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
VINCENT: Yes, nature’s power to turn grape juice into wine.
WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
VINCENT: My spiritual father…
WHITE: Who do you make wine for?
VINCENT: For my fellow man, the imbiber.
WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.
VINCENT: It’s expressive and fresh with aromas of preserved fruits; full and long on the palate with pronounced minerality.
WHITE:What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
VINCENT: A snack of fresh goat cheese and bread.
RED: In your opinion, what makes the Sancerre AOC so special?
VINCENT: Its site, its soil, its subsoil, its climate, its history and its people.
WHITE: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
VINCENT: Following the fermentation.
WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?
VINCENT: As humbly as possible.
RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
VINCENT: Wine is happiness, a moment of pleasure, of sharing, of conviviality, and of coming-together…
WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the Vincent Gaudry in the Loire Valley can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Vincent Gaudry
About This Wine:
This is a medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc with all the best qualities of this austere varietal. It’s rounder and almost fat in style, with herbaceous and green grass notes, perfectly balanced with crisp acidity, but not lean by any means.
To be enjoyed chilled but not cold (10 to 12°). This wine pairs well with fresh goat cheese as an apéritif, or with seafood. To be opened 1-2 hours before serving.
Vinification: Fermentation is thermo-regulated. We do not use commercial enzymes or yeasts. This wine spends about 8 to 10 months on the lees before bottling.
About The Winery:
Situated in the small town of Sancerrois de Sury-en-Vaux (4 km from Sancerre), our domaine has 8 ha of vineyard, 90 % Sauvignon (for the whites) et 10 % Pinot Noir (for the reds).
We farm our domaine organically/biodynamically and are certified by ECOCERT and DEMETER.
Vincent Gaudry introduced organic farming to his Domaine starting in 1993 and achieved full “Agriculture Biologique” certification in 2002. He has just completed the transfer to full biodynamic farming of the vines and is certified by Demeter. His production reflects his deep held feelings about the power of the earth and the expression of his terroir.
His winery is located in the tiny hamlet of "Le Petit Chambre ", which is part of the town of Sury en Vaux in Sancerrois, where he lives with his partner Severine, his 3 year old son Arthur and his little Westie.
He believes that his Sancerre wines are harmonious and have great balance and character. They are made using temperature controlled vinification and the wonderful crisp whites are aged “sur lie”, ie on the crushed grapes for several months before being bottled. No artificial enzymes, yeasts or additives are used in the vinification process.
His limestone and marl soils cover 8 hectares, 90% of which are planted with Sauvignon Blanc grapes (for the white wines) and 10% with Pinot Noir for the reds.
Technical Analysis:
Appellation: AOC Sancerre
Alcohol: 12.5%
Varietals: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir: clay limestone, silex, pebbly limestone
