Domaine Vacheron is a top-quality long-standing family-run wine producer with cellars located in the charming, hilltop town of Sancerre (Loire Valley, France). Run today by third generation cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron, Domaine Vacheron is considered one of Sancerre’s best producers. It is known for expressive, fruit-driven wine that expresses the traditional Sancerre qualities of brightness and balance.
The winery has 43 hectares of vines, mostly planted with Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards are mainly located in the eastern part of Sancerre, and are planted on silex soils, which are clay and limestone based topped off with flint. This type of soil gives their wines a particular minerality and saltiness, as well as a trademark smoky quality.
While many producers in Sancerre focus on white varieties, Domaine Vacheron is serious about making red Sancerre. Their Pinot Noir originates from several lieu-dit sites, including La Belle Dame, Le Paradis and Les Romains. They produce two Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre Blanc and Sancerre Blanc “Les Romains”), two Pinot Noir (Sancerre Rouge and Sancerre Rouge “Belle Dame”), and a few rosé depending on the vintage and vines.
In 2005, the cousins adopted complete biodynamic practices in both the vineyard and cellar. The cousins drove the vineyard to adopt biodynamic practices to showcase the distinct terroir of Sancerre in their wines. It is one of the largest properties in Sancerre to hand-harvest all its fruits. No synthetic material are used in the vineyard, and the only fertilizer used is produced from compost. Yields are also kept extremely low. The labour intensive efforts in the vineyard ensure that the results in the winery are extremely reliable, even in difficult vintages.
