Visit to Sancerre's Domaine Vincent Pinard

A new producer to me-very warm, committed individual. Certainly worth trying but not everything is at the highest level. My impression from this small sampling was that the whites are more promising than the reds.

• 2008 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Cuvée Flores

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Pale. Lemony nose but surprising roundness. Excellent acidity and quite approachable now. Not the most complex wine but enjoyable.

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• 2008 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Nuance

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  Also light, this has an even more piercing varietal nose than the Flores. It is leaner, more intense, and has a driving finish of minerality and acidity that I loved. The best of the 3 commercially available whites sampled here.

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• 2008 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Harmonie

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  The wood stuck out on this wine, giving it a toasty, caramel quality that was bizarre for Sancerre. Good stuff underneath, but it will never survive the attack of oak.

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• 2000 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Harmonie

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  As I thought with the '08, this has just disintegrated into a pile of wood chips with no remaining fruit, concentration, or acidity. Just the wrong way to vinify Sauvignon.

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• 2008 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Le Petit Chemarin

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre

  An experimental blend vinified mostly in stainless steel. Here, the kiss of wood added richness to wonderfully crystalline material underneath. This most resembled the Nuance but had even more stony intensity and flesh than that wine. An outstanding wine that comes across as classic and pure despite the use of oak.

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• 2008 Vincent Pinard Pinot Noir Sancerre Rouge

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge

  Good depth of color with a pretty, perfumed Pinot aroma. Supple, drinkable, and good now.

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• 2007 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Rouge Charlouise

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge

  A bit lighter in color than the regular '08 Pinot. Lighter bodied too with tangy red fruits but screechy acidity at the end which renders the wine short and tart.

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• 2004 Vincent Pinard Sancerre Rouge Charlouise

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge

  Light. Vegetal. Devoid of fruit or charm. This is not recognizable as Pinot Noir but tastes like a generic Loire red from an underripe year.

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