Sancerre blanc "Le Paradis" AOC 2022

A site-specific Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that reflects the sun-drenched 2022 vintage without losing its coolness. The nose is expressive and floral: orange blossom, ripe white- and yellow-fleshed fruits, citrus notes, herbs and white berries. What Matthias Planchon calls "l'eau de roche", rock water, carries it through.

Le Paradis is a 14-hectare site of Jurassic limestone of marine origin, Oxfordian, 150 million years old. The steep south-facing slope carries just 30 to 45 centimetres of topsoil, low in humus but rich in cailottes, yellowish limestone pebbles, and easily crumbling limestone slabs. Planchon farms 0.9 hectares here at 7,700 vines per hectare, with an average vine age of 57 years. His cellar sits right in the heart of the site.

Sauvignon Blanc, hand-harvested and slowly pressed in the pneumatic press, then settled for around 36 hours at under 10 °C. Fermentation happens spontaneously, 40 percent in stainless steel tank and 60 percent in amphorae and 600-litre casks. The wine then ages for two years on fine lees in the same vessels, before resting a further year in stainless steel. It is bottled unfiltered according to the lunar cycle, at 12.5% ABV.

Physalis and star fruit, blackcurrant and elderberry, greengage plums and grapefruit, alongside stony and herbal notes. Crisp and ripe aromas stay in balance, the acidity remains vibrant, the texture silky, the mouthfeel rounded; underneath lies this Sancerre's energetic, mineral side.

The Planchon family has farmed vineyards in Sancerre since 1573; Jules Émile Planchon discovered phylloxera in 1868 and saved European viticulture through grafting onto American rootstock. Matthias Planchon took over the family's sites in 2012, 5.5 hectares across ten parcels, and has farmed biodynamically since 2018: the label carries "Vin Bio et Biodynamique, cultivé sur sols vifs" and AB/EU organic certification. Each parcel is vinified separately, and bottling is done exclusively by site. With 22,000 bottles a year, he is among the smallest producers in the appellation.