Gaudry "Mélodie de Vieilles Vignes" Sancerre '22

For more than 30 years, Vincent Gaudry has been making wine in a hamlet in Sancerre (named Chambre, near Sury-en-Vaux), in the Loire Valley. Vincent is guided by the principle of trusting in nature, and his wines convey a sense of connection with the land they come from. The domaine was established by Vincent’s grandfather with only a few hectares of vines before being passed to Vincent’s father, Georges, who gradually enlarged the estate to 9.5 hectares. Vincent was only 16 years old when he joined his father in the family business in 1991, taking over entirely in 1993 when his father fell unexpectedly ill. Today, he and his wife, Séverine, who handles the administrative aspects of the domaine, farm 11 hectares of vineyards with organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices. He began farming his vineyards with biodynamic principles in 2000, becoming the first producer in Sancerre with a Demeter certification, in 2004. Witnessing firsthand the positive relationship between the vineyards, forests, and their animal inhabitants brought on by his regenerative agricultural practices, Vincent works with nature and a sober pragmatism to maintain a balance in his vineyards and wine. (DeMaison Selections)

Many of the domaine’s parcels are over 60 years old, which is relatively unheard of in today’s Sancerre, with its focus on high-yielding quantity over quality. Gaudry’s cuvée “Mélodie de Vieilles Vignes” is made mostly from one parcel in the lieu-dit La Rabotine, a 1.5-hectare west-exposed slope on Kimmeridgian clay terres blanches in Sury-en-Vaux, where the vines are 50-90 years old, from old massale selection sauvignon vines. Vincent refers to this wine as “bottling the wisdom of the old vines.” Vincent plows this vineyard by horse, as the topsoil is no more than a foot deep before reaching the limestone bedrock, which is hard to penetrate for the roots.

“Mélodie de Vieilles Vignes” is hand harvested, destemmed, and spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts in one large 60-hectoliter used French foudre. Malolactic fermentation is spontaneous. It is aged on the fine lees without bâtonnage for 18 months in the same foudre before being bottled according to the lunar calendar, unfined and unfiltered.

This is an outstanding Sancerre, showing elegant aromas of ripe pear, quince, citrus, and lime. The soils’ minerality is captured in the concentrated fruit, which unfolds in layers of complexity. Gaudry’s amazing attention to detail from vineyard to bottle shines through in this cuvée’s exceptionally long finish. A superb food wine that will improve in bottle for several years.