Daulny Sancerre Clos de Chaudenay 2023

WINERY NOTES:

Etienne Daulny owns 15 hectares of vines that are divided into about 50 different plots within the Sancerre wine region. Daulny combines diverse plots from varying types of soil, including clay and flint, Portlandian and Kimmeridgian, into his regular cuvée of Sancerre. But Daulny's cuvée normale is far from normal. After all, grapes from some of the appellation’s most revered vineyards make their way into this cuvée, including old vine plantings at Les Monts Damnés, Les Bois Butteux, and La Perriere. Clos de Chaudenay (the hot spot) is a single vineyard cuvée from a gentle slope just above Verdigny. These southwest facing vines average 40 years of age.

The single vineyard Clos de Chaudenay is next to Daulny's winery, atop a Kimmeridgian ridge that begins in Bué, runs through Mont Damneés and continues through Verdigny. Its southern exposure draws more heat (hence the chaud) and a bit more ripeness to the grapes. Most of the aging takes place in stainless-steel tanks, but about 20% goes into 600-liter puncheons that have seen at least half a dozen wines. This wine is racy, with fine, focused Sauvignon aromas, a medium-weight texture and a crisp, long finish.

ABV: 13%