We thought we knew all the Sancerre greats — but we couldn’t have been more wrong. Just the other night, we were introduced to a brand new producer (well, new to the States, and new... Read More

We thought we knew all the Sancerre greats — but we couldn’t have been more wrong. Just the other night, we were introduced to a brand new producer (well, new to the States, and new to us) whose wines were so elegant and so fresh, we found ourselves gobsmacked.

There are plenty of artisanal winemakers in the region, but there are also lots of commercial ventures that pump out as much wine as possible. Demand for Sancerre has skyrocketed over the past few years, unfortunately coinciding with a series of low-yielding vintages. And thus, finding a new, high-quality producer is a newsworthy occasion! If you attended last week’s Loire tasting, you already know how stunning these wines are. For the rest of our loyal readers, we’re so excited to introduce you to Renaissance Sancerre.

While researching the domaine, we came across another information byte, more heartwarming than palate-refreshing this time: brothers Mathieu and Benoit Fleuriet aren’t making wine purely for love of the vine. Rather, they’re tending vineyards owned by their best friend, Stéphane Marchand, who was diagnosed with a serious heart condition incompatible with the tough manual work that comes with being a vigneron.

The Fleuriet family has long farmed in and around Sancerre, but they’re more well-known as dairy farmers — they are responsible for Sancerre’s second most famous export, the goat cheese known as Crottin de Chavignol. In the early ‘90s, in a bid for added biodiversity, they planted some vines. They got their feet wet, winemaking-wise, and not long after, their partnership with Stéphane began.