Domaine de Nozay 2021 Sancerre “La Marâtre”

Simultaneously brighter and more earth-driven than the Domaine du Nozay Sancerre, with an expansive, clinging finish of notable length. Fruit here is more clearly delineated, with a subtle chlorophyll-like note adding to the wine’s multidimensional character.

Tasting notes: "A brilliant and intense color with golden reflections distilling elegant and discreet aromas of lychee, pink grapefruit, yellow lemon, and especially of sliced yellow peach. With an ideal acidity carried by an admirably structured body, its refreshing notes of pear in syrup, give it a certain pleasure on the palate."

This spends just under a year in horizontally oriented barrel-shaped stainless-steel tanks on its fine lees, and is bottled with less than 30 milligrams per liter of total sulfur.

Le Nozay is a small 17th-century castle located near the village of Sainte Gemme en Sancerrois to the north of Sancerre. It wasn’t until 1970 that Baron Philippe de Benoist and his wife Marie-Hélène came to settle in the Château du Nozay in this magnificent setting which later became the Domaine du Nozay. Armed with their will and their ardor to create a vineyard in Sancerre, Philippe and Marie-Hélène de Benoist planted the first hectare of Sauvignon Blanc, the king grape variety of Sancerrois, in 1971 an area which they extended over time to 15 hectares.

After their first harvest in 1974, medals and other prizes soon came to reward the work of Philippe, who joined in the vineyard and in the cellars for a few years by his son Cyril. He notably cut his teeth in Bourgogne in Cote Chalonnaise.

Convinced of the benefits of organic and biodynamic cultivation, the Domaine du Nozay has been certified since 2011 in Organic Agriculture and since 2017 in Biodynamics. In order to be part of a perspective of respect for the environment and common-sense farmers, they here lead the Domaine du Nozay to the heights of quality, and respect for the vines and soils, so that they can produce exceptional wines.

Intervening in the vineyards only to cultivate the soil, fertilize it naturally, or to treat the vines, with the help of a weather station that is used wisely. The grapes from these vines are pressed with a pneumatic press, with the advantage of not “jostling” the marc and therefore obtaining a very clean must. Vinification takes place in stainless steel barrel-shaped vats, clay amphora, which last as long as possible, with no use of yeasts or superfluous additives. Time does its work while being, despite everything, closely watched.

The Domaine du Nozay remains a family wine estate in Sancerre, isolated in a haven of peace and tranquility. The resulting wines resemble it.