Magnum Sancerre "Chêne Marchand" 2021 Vincent Pinard | Loire

The Chêne Marchand cuvée is an emblematic plot-based cuvée from the Vincent Pinard wine estate. It's a cuvée that came into being in 2007, when Clément and Florent decided to make the most of a parcel of Bué by making this cuvée in a more "Burgundian" style. It's this work of separating parcels, which is rarely done in Sancerre, that sets them apart from other winemakers. The vines on the Chêne Marchand terroir date back to 1968, as do those on Petit Chemarin. They were planted by their parents, who left an exceptional legacy, with parcels of very old vines and this famous Bué limestone terroir. When it comes to viticulture, Clément and Florent are inspired by biodynamic principles. They use no weedkillers, insecticides or harsh treatments.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin: It's a great pleasure to taste a Vincent Pinard wine estate parcel, especially as these wines are becoming increasingly rare. The mastery and logic of yield is quite simply remarkable in this wine estate. The grapes are rigorously selected at harvest, so there's no room for guesswork! Ageing takes place in demi-muids for 1 year, but with very little new wood, so as not to mask the terroir.

The nose is very complex, with a real difference from the blended cuvées: it's deeper and more intense, but the style remains the same. Notes of hazelnut and fresh almond add originality. A hint of coriander and a hint of anise develop after oxygenation.

The palate is full-bodied, rich and very energetic, and the ageing is very subtle. This wine needs a little more time than the cuvées d'assemblage, but is still accessible when young, with a little decanting. It's a wine with real sparkle, the minerality is just magical, it's quite simply one of the greatest Sancerre wines.