Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2004
Although the controversy about the concept of terroir is only one of the many in the world of wine, it is a very interesting and debated one. Jamie Goodie (http://www.wineanorak.com/) made very good efforts to coin this concept, stressing the fact that it means different things to different people. In his book ‘Wine Science‘ he points out that the word terroir is used in three different ways. According to Goodie terroir is mainly defined as the wine’s expression of flavour characteristics influenced by the properties of the vineyard or region from which it originates. Secondly terroir is used to describe the vineyard site itself including the combination of soils, sub-soils and climatic factors that affect the grapes and therefore the wine made from them. Last but not least Goodie focuses on the concept of Goûte de Terroir, or the way the individual vineyard site directly imparts its flavours on wine through the roots of the vine. I agree with Goodie that there is a lack of scientific evidence for this view, but I fully support his view on the importance of the physical proporties of the soil and vineyards for the grapes and wine they produce. This is even more so in for viticulture marginal regions such as Burgundy and the Loire valley.
The white wines from Sancerre are derived from three different soil types which produce grapes with varying flavour profiles and characteristics. Because many producers seek to moderate the dominance of one particular profile, cuvees are made to enhance complexity without denying the individual terroirs to express their virtues. For the Pascal Jolivet Sancerre 2004 half of the blend is made up of grapes sourced from Les Caillottes, soils with a very high proportion of limestone that produce aromatic and early drinking wines. About 30 percent of the blend is derived from grapes from the steep hills in the western part of the appellation, Les Terres Blanches. The clay and limestone soils produce more powerful wines that are relatively longer-lived. The balance consists of grapes from soils high in silex or flint that gives the wine the typical acrid and flinty characters. The wines from each vineyard area are fermented separately to optimize the expression of terroir in the final blend. The intense nose reveals a broad spectrum of fruit characters ranging form lush tropical fruit, to citrus and vegetal tones. The palate is complex and powerful, finishing with a flinty, minerally and refreshing crispness. And with regard to terroir, this is certainly a wine true to its origins and with a sense of place. 90 points.
Source:Negociants Australia Price: $43 Drink: Now
