Domaine Denizot Sancerre Les Bouffants 2021

If your frame of reference for Sancerre is shrill simplicity, the wines of Thibauld and Jennifer Denizot will add measurable depth and dimension to your perspective. These young vignerons are the 8th generation of their family to work a mosaic of exceptional terroirs. They are intent on showcasing their mythical lieux-dits through attentive farming and deliberate cellar work —especially through intricately composed cuvees. Blending is the hidden art of Sancerre, one at which Thibauld excels. The taut, energetic profile of the Denizot wines reaches its apogee in the Côte de l’épée, a precipitous limestone slope that yields sauvignon blanc at its most chiseled and crystalline, and Les Bouffants, a sun-drenched site on griottes and limestone that gives wines of pronounced structure and depth. The Denizots also make an elegant Sancerre Rouge that pays tribute to a less-known aspect of the region’s past. “There is not only one Sancerre, but thousands,” says Thibauld, inviting us to follow a natural curiosity to better understand the region’s surprising facets.

Les Bouffants is an early ripening hillside vineyard located in the village of Chavignol facing due south. Denizot’s plantings in Les Bouffants cover two distinct soils. 75% of the vines are located on the top of the hill with a very stony, well-draining soil. The other 25% of the vines are planted on a steeper area of the site on finer, softer limestone called griottes. The results of this soil makeup, exposition, early maturity and naturally low yields produce a bold and structured Sancerre.

Both lieux-dits wines at Denizot are handled the same way in the cellar, allowing their specific terroirs alone to dictate their distinct differences. Vinification and aging takes place in a unique mix of cooperage, utilizing 600L demi-muids barrels as well as 350L cigare barrels (narrow, elongated barrels to maximize lees surface area) selected specifically for their low-impact oak profile and extremely fine grain. Post fermentation the wines are aged in the same barrels for approximately 12 months before being racked to settle in stainless steel for an additional 6 months.

Producer: Domaine Denizot

Country: France

Region: Loire Valley

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Sancerre

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml