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Now Viewing: Chateau Sancerre
The Château de Sancerre stands in the heart of the Sancerre vineyards. In 1874, the castle was rebuilt on its old site in the style of Louis XII. In 1919 it was purchased, along with part of the vineyards, by Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle. This Sancerre has an exotic smoky nose with a hint of honeysuckle. The dry palate has delicate, high-acid, flinty flavours. Perfect for oysters! The history of the Sancerre vineyards goes back almost a thousand years, for it was in 11th and 12th centuries that monks in the surrounding districts began to cultivate vines. From the reign of Philippe-Augustus to the reign of Louis XVI, the Kings of France delighted in Sancerre wine - "one of the most exquisite of the Kingdom", as one described it - and a 19th century devoté, Honoré de Balzac, famously paid tribute to the "generous wines" of Sancerre. Sancerre, in the department of Cher, 125 miles south of Paris, is a region of low rugged hills between 650 feet and 1300 feet high. The river Loire to the east and the high tree-covered mountains to the west give it a relatively temperate micro-climate, and the stony, warm and well-drained soil provides ideal conditions for the cultivation of vines. The white A.O.C. Sancerre wines, represent 80% of the production, while the rest is devoted to red and rosé wines from the Pinot Noir grape.
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