Les Vignes et les Vins: August 2015

In a little place called Reigny, in a pleasant circle of hills about seven kilometres from Sancerre we found ourselves in the company of Gilles Guillerault of the Domaine des Caves du Prieure one of a number of wineries in the Rue du Lavoir. He is one of the independent artisan vignerons that we like to support. Gilles is rather like the celebrated Gérard Boulay in that he believes that the wine should come from caring for the grapes and the terroir rather than from the wine making. He uses only natural yeasts and his use of oak is very subtle and balanced. Gilles lets the natural product do the talking rather than interfere too much. Thus this Reigny wine is a Reigny of terroir (like most bloggers I can’t resist a pun!).

Gilles Guillerault introduces us to his wines.

Reigny is a hamlet of Crézancy-en-Sancerre (postcode 18300) which is one of the fourteen villages allowed to grow grapes for the Sancerre Appellation. The Domaine des Caves de Prieure grow both Sauvignon Blanc for the white wines and Pinot Noir grapes for the Rosés and Red wines. They have a higher proportion of Pinot Noir than most Sancerre producers and thus their Rosés and Reds are important for them. They use a mixture of stainless steel and wood for the ageing in their small but beautiful cave. The previous owner of our house in Veaugues, Gérard, was a stone mason and he introduced us to this winery and he helped renovate their caves and participated in the annual harvests.

A visit to the caves that Gérard helped renovate

Barrels of wine being aged in the cellar. At the end you can see a work by a local artist whose art also features on the wine labels.

If you want to visit them they are open most days (appointment only on Sundays) between 9.00 and 12.15 and between 14.00 and 18.30. They are relatively easy found by heading towards Sancerre on the D22 fro Crezancy-en-Sancerre and then turning left following the signs towards Reigny. They are at No.2 Rue du Lavoir shortly after you past the Lavoir itself. You need to drive past Daniel Ducroux but if you reach Daniel Millet you have gone too far. Normally you have to ring the bell and wait a little. We got lost cycling there using Google Maps so look out for a sign to Reigny before turning.

Jane and the bicycles beside the lavoir. For the uninitiated a lavoir is where women used to spend most of their time washing their family's clothes before the washing machine led to their liberation. However, most French villages keep them restored as a back up!

But what about the wines -

The White Wines (Sauvignon Blanc) -

Panseillot Blanc 2014 – Pair this with some good friends who been lightly baked in the sun for a few hours and are in need of refreshment. A great value Sancerre at less than ten Euros a bottle so I bought some.

Chassenoy Blanc 2011 – If you are a fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc don’t even bother to try this wine. However, if you are a fan of terroir rather than fruit give if a go. It reminded me of a very good Muscadet which is not surprising as it has been left on the lees for 12 months. A perfect match for perfectly cooked scallops – both are a rarity.

Facétie Blanc 2012– I can’t believe I hadn’t discovered this wine before. Lovely acidity which makes it a great food wine. How about some petit friture from the local river or whitebait as a match for this? I bought some of this. At €15 a bottle if you buy six, I thought it good value.

The Red Wines (Pinot Noir) –

Panseillot Rouge 2013 - Aged only in stainless steel this a real quaffing red and rather a good one in that category.

Marne Rouge 2012– Named after the Lieu-Dit from which the grapes come from on the Sancerre plateau, this Pinot Noir has changed considerably from the first one we tasted in 2013. The Marne 2006 was one of our favourite Sancerre red’s for a while and we liked its robustness and rusticity. Today the house style has changed and the result is more smooth and balanced. The 2012 we tasted today perhaps needs a few years to get to its peak. I think I am going to grow to like this one although they don't have a lot left.

The Rosé Wines (Pinot Noir) -

Panseillot Rosé 2014 - A lovely little Sancerre Rosé with the typical cherry flavour. Nice for an aperitif or with Chinese, Indian or Moroccan dishes. We have bought quite a lot of this over the years.