Dominique Roger of Domaine du Carrou.

Emanuel Mellot wasn't going to let us leave the area without visiting some of her favorite producers in Sancerre, so we jumped in her Mini one afternoon and set off for the village of Bué. I had never heard of Dominique Roger and I am dumbfounded as to why these wines are not better known. Dominique tells a great story about being mocked by the locals for planting the steep chalky hillside behind his winery with the old-timers even setting up chairs to while away the afternoons, chiding the determined Roger as he planted his vines. The wines are some of the purest and most vibrant Sancerres we've yet tasted. Emanuel agreed with us and asked to borrow a piece of chalk from one of Dominique's employees to write "ça déchire!!!" (that tears!!!) on one of Dominique's tanks.

Clément Pinard and Emanuel Mellot in the cellars at Domaine Vincent Pinard.

When I would ask other growers in the area to name their top five producers, the name Pinard came up over and over again. Brothers Clément and Florent Pinard are producing wonderfully complex Sancerre under the names Cuvée Florès (100% inox), Cuvée Nuances (1/3 wood), Cuvée Harmonie (100% wood), Charlouise, and Vendanges Entières. Their 16 ha. domaine is planted to an astonishing 9000 plants per ha. and their style leans towards that of Mellot's with a deft use of wood (the brothers reduced the use of new barrique to about a third in 2006). The three cuvées mentioned about are all from the argile-calcaires (clay-limestone) of Clos du Chêne Marchand, each expressing different levels of wood influence.

Jesse at Domaine Lucien Crochet in Bué.

Gilles Crochet graciously took a few minutes to show us the cellar at Domaine Lucien Crochet even though he was obviously busy racking and completely covered in grape juice. Benchmark Chêne Marchand and his exotically rich Vendage du Octobre wines have been some of my wine list staples for years. At this 38 ha. domaine, Gilles produces mainly in tank, with small percentages of wood found in the Vendage du Octobre bottlings as well as the Pinot Noirs.

A comparison tasting of Sancerre's two famous sites at the home Mellot's chef de cave, Nicolas Boulanger.