Sancerre La Louisonne

Sancerre Rouge AOP

Challenges are at the heart of J. de Villebois’ approach. We were determined to create a Burgundian-inspired Pinot Noir from our Sancerre terroirs.

From the beginning of winter, the “La Louisonne” plot received meticulous attention, from pruning to soil management (earthing up, hoeing). With this cuvée, we aimed to approach the greatness of Pinot Noir, driven by freshness, finesse, elegance, and possessing a strong aging potential. We followed a typical Burgundian winemaking path (pre-fermentation maceration, alcoholic fermentation, manual punch-downs, malolactic fermentation under marc) to harness all the subtleties of the terroir. The maturation in 300L oak barrels (medium toast) delicately refined the profile of this cuvée, unveiling the full potential of this rare terroir.

This wine is available in France from 39,00 € at your preferred wine shop, or at our online shop Aux trésors de Bacchus
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THE PARCEL

‘La Louisonne’ is located in an exceptional setting! It stretches across the first slopes of the famous ‘Cirque de la Poussie’, in the commune of Bué. This area, where vines merge with the sky, is one of the most spectacular landscapes in the Sancerre appellation. Planted in the 1990s, our Pinot Noir vines are now in their prime and producing magnificent grapes. This is where the Terres Blanches terroir reveals its finest expression and precision!

HARVEST

Patience was paramount. This year, the Pinot Noir berries benefited from a favorable climate that allowed us to push their maturity to the maximum. Our winemakers tasted the grapes daily, aiming to achieve ripe plum aromas in the berries. When the skins became thinner and colored, the seeds turned brown and crunchy, there was no doubt: the time for harvest had come.On September 21th, 2023, our team of 25 harvesters diligently went to work! The grapes were in exceptional sanitary condition, requiring minimal sorting.

VINIFICATION

Swiftly transferred to the winery, the grapes were destemmed and then placed in small10hl tanks with floating caps. We conducted a pre-fermentation maceration for 3 days, performing pump-overs twice a day. Once fermentation was initiated, we manually punched down the cap based on tastings, averaging 3 times a day. Following fermentation, we carried out a post-fermentation maceration for 10 days, irrigating the caps twice daily. Malolactic fermentation occurred with the marc before racking.

AGEING

Subsequently, 100% of the wines were transferred to 300L oak barrels and aged for 10 months at a constant temperature (15°C), with weekly lees stirring.

Tasting notes

COLOR

In the glass, an intense ruby-red colour is revealed.

NOSE

Expressive aromas rise from the glass, revealing red fruit such as wild strawberries and cherries, together with sweet spices.

PALATE

The fruity attack leads to a full, round palate, where the volume is structured by supple tannins with spicy, peppery flavours. The finish is extremely persistent, offering hints of vanilla and ton ka bean.