Sancerre – AOC –

Sancerre is an AOC (Appellation D’Origine Contrôlée) certified wine region in the Cher department of France. It is centered around the homonymous town of Sancerre, entirely on the left bank of the Upper Loire, opposite Pouilly Fumé. Cultivation according to AOC regulations has been approved in the area of ​​14 communities.
Predominantly white wine is grown, namely the Sauvignon Blanc grape, which gives the wines great purity and elegance. About 20 percent of the area is planted with Pinot noir, from which light red wines labeled “Sancerre rouge” and, above all, classy rosé wines are produced. Grape varieties other than the two mentioned may not be traded as AOC classified.
White wines from Sancerre have been labeled AOC since 1936, red wines since 1959.

The town of Sancerre sits on a chalk outcrop that runs from the chalk cliffs of Dover through the Champagne and Chablis. A series of small valleys cut into the chalk, each with its own soil, microclimate and terroir. In the east, flint stones determine the character, which makes the wines mineral and long-lasting. Between the city and Verdigny to the north-west, the so-called Les Caillottes, the soil consists of marl and gravel, the wines of which are considered to be particularly fruity and well-balanced.