Sancerre Le Chene Marchand, Domaine Francois Crochet

Based in the village of Bué, in the south-western corner of the Sancerre appellation, François Crochet marches to the beat of a different drum. The majority of his 11 ha domaine is planted on chalky limestone (locally described as Caillotes) whilst the rest is on a blend of clay and chalk, known as Terres Blanches. Farming is organic. In the cellar, the envelope is pushed to gain every inch of flavour and precision and François has recently begun doing some fermenting in ovoid tanks in order to add more weight to the wines. With minimum intervention, the results are extraordinary; richer and rounder than traditional Sancerre but with superb, underlying freshness and minerality.