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2016 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Neore #148876176
1.5L
Our Notes
Every superlative you might think of is applicable at this legendary domaine. It remains the most iconic sauvignon blanc in the world ? the benchmark Sancerre ? even as it transcends these categories. Towering, vibrant and nuanced, this singular wine is made in achingly small quantities, with just a few hundred bottles available in the US each year.
Reviews 95 points John Gilman "offers up a lovely nose of lime, gooseberry, raw almond, a complex base of limestone minerality, early notes of Chartreuse-like botanicals, lime peel and just a wisp of white pepper. On the palate the wine is bright, racy and full-bodied, with a tightly-knit personality, a lovely core, a very complex base of soil, excellent focus and balance and a long, refined and very promising finish. (JG)"
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About Edmond Vatan
Edmond Vatan's esteemed Clos la Néore, hailing from the renowned Sancerre region, has become a beacon for sommeliers and connoisseurs worldwide, thanks to its limited annual production of 4,000 bottles. This Sauvignon Blanc is birthed from the heart of Les Monts Damnes, a celebrated vineyard lauded for its perfect south-southeast exposure and pure terres blanches soil, which imparts the wines with extraordinary complexity and longevity.
Edmond and Anne Vatan have made their Sancerre “Clos la Néore” one of the world's most unique white wines through meticulous, near-unchanged winemaking practices that trace back to the French Revolution era. Clos la Néore's aging potential has been compared favorably to top-tier Chablis, demonstrating its distinction from typical Sancerres.
The Domaine sits within the confines of Chavignol, home to the terres blanches soils that yield some of the most complex, long-lived Sancerres. This “white earth,” an extension of Kimmeridgian rock, grants the wines their distinct minerality. Within Les Monts Damnés, the Vatans' monopoly - Clos la Néore - is nestled at the heart of the slope and has been the domain of thirteen Vatan generations since 1789.
The Clos la Néore vineyard, with nearly half a century-old vines, pruned to yield just half the norm, produces highly concentrated and complex wines. The Vatan’s méthode ancienne, or ancient methods, commence with late harvesting, allowing for the full development of depth and complexity. The fermentation and aging are facilitated in 600-liter wooden foudres that have seen a century of use. The bottling is unfiltered and carried out in May when the barometric pressure is ideal.
Embodying their commitment to tradition, the Vatan family’s Sancerre displays the unique qualities of its terroir and, with increasing global demand, has cemented its status as a highly sought-after gem.
Edmond and Anne Vatan have made their Sancerre “Clos la Néore” one of the world's most unique white wines through meticulous, near-unchanged winemaking practices that trace back to the French Revolution era. Clos la Néore's aging potential has been compared favorably to top-tier Chablis, demonstrating its distinction from typical Sancerres.
The Domaine sits within the confines of Chavignol, home to the terres blanches soils that yield some of the most complex, long-lived Sancerres. This “white earth,” an extension of Kimmeridgian rock, grants the wines their distinct minerality. Within Les Monts Damnés, the Vatans' monopoly - Clos la Néore - is nestled at the heart of the slope and has been the domain of thirteen Vatan generations since 1789.
The Clos la Néore vineyard, with nearly half a century-old vines, pruned to yield just half the norm, produces highly concentrated and complex wines. The Vatan’s méthode ancienne, or ancient methods, commence with late harvesting, allowing for the full development of depth and complexity. The fermentation and aging are facilitated in 600-liter wooden foudres that have seen a century of use. The bottling is unfiltered and carried out in May when the barometric pressure is ideal.
Embodying their commitment to tradition, the Vatan family’s Sancerre displays the unique qualities of its terroir and, with increasing global demand, has cemented its status as a highly sought-after gem.