2021 SancerreDaniel Chotard
France | Loire
$39
Producers
We found ourselves with an uncommon treat on our hands when this red wine arrived in Berkeley recently. First, it’s not often that we are able to import bottles that have aged beautifully over many years at the domaine where they were made. Second, this cuvée represents the only wine we import from the famed left bank of Bordeaux, between Saint-Julien and Margaux in the heart of the Médoc, where the moderate climate of the riverbank and gravelly soils are perfectly suited to Cabernet Sauvignon—the leading grape in this blend.
The label says Château, and despite the stunning price, this bottling holds up to the noble moniker while also being honest, accessible, and terroir-driven Bordeaux. Seven years old, it is in a magical place today, showing a more velvety and relaxed side than it did when it was first released. Evoking notes of blackcurrant, black cherries, and tobacco, this Haut-Médoc will pair beautifully with lentil soup, rib eyes, or lamb stew.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 65% Cab Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc, 3% Petit Verdot |
Appellation: | Haut Médoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Bordeaux |
Producer: | Château Aney |
Winemaker: | Jean, Pierre, and David Raimond |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1976, 30 ha |
Soil: | Gravel |
Aging: | Wines are aged for 12 months in barrel and 20-24 months in bottle |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
Château Aney France | Bordeaux | Haut Médoc
Château Ducasse France | Bordeaux | Bordeaux
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux | IGP Atlantique
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux | Lalande-de-Pomerol
Château Graville-Lacoste France | Bordeaux | Graves
Often considered the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux and its wines have captured the minds, hearts, and wallets of wine drinkers for centuries. For many, the wines provide an inalienable benchmark against which all other wines are measured.
Bordeaux is divided into three winegrowing regions with the city that gives the region its name in the near geographical center. The “right bank,” or the area located east of the Dordogne River, produces wines that are predominantly Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The “left bank” is located to the west of the Garonne River and produces wines dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
The third region, Entre-Deux-Mers, lies between both rivers and produces white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle. Though technically in the left bank, it is worth noting the appellation of Sauternes, which produces arguably the world’s most famous sweet wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle as well.
Though many top Bordeaux wines are sold en primeur (in advance of their bottling) and often through a middleman known as a negoçiant, Kermit has always preferred to purchase directly from the winemaker. For more than three decades he has sought out small producers, who make classic Bordeaux wines and are willing to play outside the negoçiant system. This ethic has led to longstanding relationships, excellent prices, and perhaps most important—wines of great value and longevity.
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux | Lalande-de-Pomerol
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux | Lalande-de-Pomerol
Château Ducasse France | Bordeaux | Bordeaux
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
Château Roûmieu-Lacoste France | Bordeaux | Sauternes
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie France | Bordeaux | Canon-Fronsac
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux | Vin de France
Château Haut-Lariveau France | Bordeaux | Fronsac
Château Aney France | Bordeaux | Haut Médoc
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
Château Moulin France | Bordeaux | Fronsac
We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.
Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.
Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa