Sancerre by Pascal Jolivet 2020

Situated in the Berry region, in the heart of one of the world's most beautiful vineyards, Sancerre is a medieval village with its old stones and cobbled streets. 312 metres high, this ancient citadel covers one of the hills on the Berrichonne bank of the river, and takes its name from the Carolingian era when a small village on the hillside, grouped around the church of Saint-Romble, was named by popular distortion of the same word, Saint-Cère, which became Sancerre. The town was soon fortified with a thick wall, which played a strategic role during the Hundred Years' War in the Middle Ages. The Wars of Religion took their toll on the fortifications, which were destroyed in 1621; all that remains of the former stronghold is a mutilated keep, the Tour des Fiefs.

This Pinot Noir is a complex wine redolent of ripe black and fruit, delicate warm spices, framed by subtle tannins. It is a wine that can be enjoyed on release but will only improve with age.