J. De Villebois Marnes Kimmeridgiennes Sancerre 2024 -750ml

91pts Wine Enthusiast

Alluring aromas of muddled yellow apple, meadow grass, white peach and dried-lemon-peel shavings fill the nose. The palate is more reserved with a mix of tart and ripe orchard fruit that swims across wet river stone. — Reggie Solomon

Winemaker Notes

The wine displays a deep yellow color with brilliant highlights. The nose, ample and expressive, unveils aromas of ripe yellow fruits and candied citrus, accompanied by
floral notes and delicate spicy nuances. The palate, broad and silky, captivates with its rich texture and a harmonious balance between freshness and ripeness. The finish, long and subtly spicy, elegantly extends the wine's aromatic complexity.

Following a stormy episode in July, the vines bounced back remarkably in just 15 days. This wonderful capacity for regeneration allowed us to harvest high-quality grapes. In the cellar, we kept only the free-run juice which, after pressing, was transferred to settling tanks for 5 days. Fermentation started in concrete tanks and lasted 20 days.
20% of the juice fermented in 300-liter barrels, using both oak and new acacia wood, for 20 days. The winemakers then carried out bâtonnage on fine lees in three phases: first 3
times a week for 1 month, then 2 times a week for 2 months, and finally once a week until the blending of the oak barrels, acacia barrels, and concrete tanks. This 6-month aging
period enhanced aroma extraction while bringing additional volume and intensity to the wine.

Winemaker Philosophy
We aim to preserve the distinctive style of the Kimméridgian Marl terroir. It represents for us the quintessential age-worthy wine of the Sancerre appellation. On this “cool” terroir, our intention was to enhance the aromatic expression with open and rich profiles. We chose to use new 300-liter Acacia barrels, with a medium toast, sourced from the local production of the Bertranges forest in Nièvre. Acacia is ideal for the Marl terroirs as it brings freshness and elegance to the cuvée, polishing the already generous aromatic profile and complementing its aging potential. The “Marnes Kimméridgiennes” cuvée possesses a strong, powerful personality that matures beautifully over time.