Domaine du Carroir Perrin 2007 Tasting Notes

Sancerre blanc 2005 & Sancerre rouge 2005

Our Sancerre this year is from 2005, which proved to be an excellent vintage throughout France.  A slightly hotter than normal summer with lower than normal rainfall led to a harvest period at the end of September when the grapes were in a perfect ripe condition.  Our Option wine is a very typical Sancerre with a powerful bouquet reminiscent of grass, nettles, gooseberries and blackcurrant leaves.  It is deliciously fresh and crisp to the taste, full of citrus fruit, with just the right amount of balancing acidity.  Add to that a little complex minerality, and you have a stunning wine – well deserving of its Bronze Medal at the International Wine Challenge last year.

White Sancerre is excellent on its own as an aperitif or with food.  Its deliciously fruity acidity makes it a good partner for lots of tricky foods – asparagus is one – and with pasta or white meat in a tomato-based sauce it is one of the best choices available.  Try it with some French goat’s cheese (the local Crottin de Chavignol is ideal) hot on toast with some tossed salad.  Absolutely scrumptious!  To experience the typical freshness it is best enjoyed relatively young, but it will also keep for up to five years if carefully cellared.  

Although white wine accounts for 80% of total production, some of the best winemakers, including Pierre, have also planted some Pinot Noir grapes for the production of red Sancerre.  This remains very much a local speciality not often seen outside the region in France, and rarely if at all in the UK.  Our Sancerre rouge 2005 is a light, refreshing, quaffing wine, with delightful fresh raspberry and cherry fruit flavours and soft tannins.  Designed for early drinking it will be perfect this summer, although it can be cellared for a few years.  Try it slightly chilled to accompany a summer picnic – very refreshing!  As it matures it will serve as a perfect accompaniment to all manner of charcuterie, as well as grilled pork, lamb chops or hard cheese.