Henri Bourgeois Sancerre d’Antan 2022

The Bourgeois family has farmed in Sancerre for ten generations, working steep slopes above the upper Loire around Chavignol. Sancerre d'Antan is a Sauvignon Blanc made in an older style, given time before release so the fruit settles into a broader, more savoury shape. The vineyards sit on Kimmeridgian marl and hard Portlandian limestone, ancient seabed soils full of fossilised shell that give Sancerre its chalky drive and salinity, while the continental climate and cool nights hold the grape's aromatic freshness. Fermentation is temperature-controlled to protect the fruit, and time on fine lees adds a subtle weight and roundness to the mid-palate. The colour is pale gold with a green tint. The nose leads with lime blossom, verbena and green apple, then a flinty, mineral note. The palate is dry and precise, the citrus fruit set against a stony, saline structure and a long, clean finish. This is riper than a standard cuvee, so serve it at 10 to 12 degrees rather than ice cold.