Domaine François 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.

Loire Valley

FRANCE

François Crochet is an innovative winemaker

A victim of his own success, as a boutique producer with such a small production François can no longer keep up with demand and makes only limited, hand-crafted quantities.

In the small commune of Bué, just outside of Sancerre, François Crochet and his wife farm 25 acres of prime vineyards that boast all three of the main Sancerre soil type: chalk, flint, and gravelly marl.

Domaine Crochet is a small, family run producer with a respect for the best of traditional methods such as hand picking and selection at harvest.

Viticulture

The vineyards that are 30 years old on average, are divided into more than thirty parcels in the villages of Bué, Sancerre, Crézancy and Thauvenay historically and more recently with some parcels coming from Carine’s family in Verdigny and Sury-en-Vaux. The yields are controlled by bud reduction in the spring and in some cases a later green harvest, the eventual harvest is entirely manual, and overall this is a very small, ‘hands-on’ operation, with François personally overseeing and also undertaking much of the work in the vineyard (no mean feat with such a parcellated domaine).

Winemaking

The grapes are harvested by hand, allowing them to be sorted first in the vineyard. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are table-sorted if necessary when they arrive at the winery in trailers. The grapes are transferred to the presses by means of a belt. Pressing ensures high-quality juice without damaging the grapes. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperatures of 14 to 18°C depending on the cuvée. The Pinot Noir grapes are brought to the winery in 40 kg crates, and are table-sorted before being destemmed. The grapes are transferred to the presses by means of a belt to avoid damaging them. Following cold maceration, fermentation takes place under controlled temperatures. The juice is run off after a few days of maceration. Gradual pressing gives off a pure press juice. The wines are then aged in barrels – 228 or 600-litre barrels – and in tanks; the proportion varies depending on the vintage and the cuvée.