2022 Francois Crochet Sancerre Rouge, Loire Valley

Here’s a Pinot Noir with a Loire Valley accent—Francois Crochet’s Sancerre Rouge is light on its feet but full of nuance. Sourced from limestone-clay soils around Bué, one of Sancerre’s most prized villages, this wine is all about restraint, perfume, and textural precision rather than ripeness or weight. It’s Pinot with an edge of earth and minerality, offering a fresher, more savoury alternative to its Burgundy cousins.

Francois Crochet, now firmly established as one of the region’s leading vignerons, brings quiet confidence and a meticulous hand to both his whites and reds. He farms organically and works with minimal intervention in the cellar, letting each parcel speak clearly. His Sancerre Rouge is fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel before a gentle maturation in older French oak barrels, just enough to round the edges and add some gentle spice.

This is the kind of red that whispers rather than shouts—delicate red berries, wild herbs, and crushed violets on the nose, followed by a palate that’s silky, linear, and gently savoury. Fine tannins and fresh acidity give it beautiful tension and make it an ideal match for charcuterie, roast duck, or even grilled salmon.

More than just a curiosity, this is a serious and quietly complex Loire Pinot Noir that rewards attention and over-delivers in character.