Domaine Hubert Brochard Vin de Pays Les Carisannes 2020
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Sauvignon Blanc Les Carisannes shows classic aromas and flavors of citrus, fresh herbs, and minerals. This Vin de Pays du Val de Loire is lighter in weight and texture than Sancerre but its fresh and fruity character make it a delicious wine for warm-weather refreshment and simple food pairings.
Domaine Hubert Brochard produces classically styled Sancerre blanc, rosé, and rouge from their family-owned winery in Chavignol. Aimée Brochard inherited her father’s vines in the early 1900s, growing grapes and raising goats to produce cheese with the help of her husband Hubert. The domaine is now run by the fifth and sixth generation of Brochards with 152 acres under vine in Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and Vin de Pays du Val de Loire. Today, brothers Daniel, Jean-François, and Benoît Brochard run the domaine with the help of Daniel’s daughters, Caroline and Anne-Sophie, and produce wines that express their region’s terroir.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Praised for its stately Renaissance-era chateaux, the picturesque Loire valley produces pleasant wines of just about every style. Just south of Paris, the appellation lies along the river of the same name and stretches from the Atlantic coast to the center of France.
The Loire can be divided into three main growing areas, from west to east: the Lower Loire, Middle Loire, and Upper/Central Loire. The Pay Nantais region of the Lower Loire—farthest west and closest to the Atlantic—has a maritime climate and focuses on the Melon de Bourgogne variety, which makes refreshing, crisp, aromatic whites.
The Middle Loire contains Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. In Anjou, Chenin Blanc produces some of, if not the most, outstanding dry and sweet wines with a sleek, mineral edge and characteristics of crisp apple, pear and honeysuckle. Cabernet Franc dominates red and rosé production here, supported often by Grolleau and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sparkling Crémant de Loire is a specialty of Saumur. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are common in Touraine as well, along with Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Malbec (known locally as Côt).
The Upper Loire, with a warm, continental climate, is Sauvignon Blanc country, home to the world-renowned appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Pinot Noir and Gamay produce bright, easy-drinking red wines here.