2020 Domaine Henri Bourgeois Sancerre D'Antan

Domaine Henri Bourgeois is located in Chavignol, where the wine estate covered 2 hectares 60 years ago. The tenth generation of the family business now owns 65 hectares, which supplies grapes for half of the wines produced. The family also owns a property in New Zealand's Marlborough region and even bottles some of their spicy sancerres. The top wines of sancerre and pouilly-fumé mature in oak barrels.

Sancerre has a terroir that is more diverse than many people think. Not just calcareous slopes, but also soils with silex, the flint we also know from Pouilly-Fumé. The cuvée d'Antan, one of Henri Bourgeois' flagships, is made from the slope with the highest content of silex in the estate, in the village of Saint-Satur. The vines in the plot for the cuvée d'Antan are very old: they have been there since 1936. In combination with very low yields and sustainable viticulture, this ensures grapes with a special concentration and depth. It is also made in a classic way, with fermentation and aging in used barriques. Due to its classic character and special acidity, this is a Sancerre that can age for years, contrary to what we expect from this type of wine. It can safely be called a wine that puts Sancerre on the map in a classic way as a really serious wine.

The Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Blanc d'Antan Terroir de Silex, one of Henri Bourgeois' flagships, is made from the slope with the highest content of silex in the domain, in the village of Saint-Satur. Smoky, flint, lime, almonds, full and concentrated, luscious and generous, nice acidity. Powerful, dry white wine. Goes well with grilled lobster, fried sweetbreads, turbot, risotto with large shrimps.
Awards:
Harvest year 2017 - 17pt (Perswijn)
Vintage 2019 - 93pt (Wine Enthusiast)
Vintage 2019 - 94pt (Robert Parker Wine Advocate)