2023 Domaine Hubert Brochard Sancerre
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Tasting notes
Empty bottle 595 g. 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from more than 220 plots distributed over seven villages. The grapes were harvested by a combination of hand and machine, and alcoholic fermentation took place at low temperatures in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats. Winemaker Sophie Brochard. Natural cork. TA 3.46 g/l, pH 3.11, RS 0.45 g/l. Exclusive to Waitrose. Available in up to 200 shops. Brochard is now owned by the Bollinger group, which seems to be concentrating more on their terroir-focused Sancerres, as well as the lieu-dits Le Cul de Beaujeu and La Côte des Monts Damnés. So, although this is perfectly decent domaine Sancerre, blended from a very wide range of plots, it lacks some of the excitement of the more specific wines. Light and fresh, mineral finish. Just needs a bit more ‘punch’ and character. As a Sancerre lover, I’d happily buy this but would wait until Waitrose runs a ‘buy 6 save 25%’ promotion. (AWH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Tamlyn Currin, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Full bottle 1,219 g. Vines grown on a complex mix of terroir: ‘terres blanches’, silex and caillottes. 100% Sauvignon Blanc. They ferment some of the parcels separately and some together and then blend at the end. Blended end of February and then aged in tanks before bottling. Sulphites only added before bottling. Aged on lees for four months in a mix of stainless-steel vats, barrels, amphoras and concrete vats. Floral rather than fruity – a cloud of white flowers shot through with glittering crystals of acidity. Soft white petals and a thousand tiny, razor-sharp angles. Over a couple of days it rounded, a little, allowing me to peek at green apples and pomelo orbs, allowing the crunchy intensity and complexity of green fennel seeds and caraway fronds to lace the edges. Which tells me that this wine is still a baby. Please don’t drink it yet. (TC)
The 2023 Sancerre is done in an appetizing, tender style with delicate restraint and balance. It is not massively aromatic but has an ease of elderflower and citrus. It feels like it's more hands-off than ever before. There is less intervention, low sulfites and stirred lees to protect the wines from oxygen and avoid using sulfites, which gives the wine a sense of creaminess, too.