2023 Domaine Foucher-Lebrun Sancerre "Les Glories", Loire Valley, France

About this Wine

This wine is made from grapes grown on limestone, flinty clay, and Kimmeridgian marl (a.k.a. Terres Blanches) from vineyards in the villages of Bué, Chavignol, and Sancerre. The climate is a temperate semi-continental.

On the winemaking side, the grapes are destemmed before pressing. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation, before maturing from 4 to 6 months on natural lees in tanks.

The resulting wine showcases a pale yellow color with green tints. Notes of exotic fruits brought forth from the Terres Blanches adds complexity to the nose and mouth which enhances a lingering finish. The mineralality comes from the flint that is naturally in the soil.

About this Producer

Located 30 kilometers northeast of Sancerre in the village of Aligny-Cosne, Maison Foucher is a “Petit Négociant” with a mission to craft classic expressions of Loire Valley appellations at exceptional values. The estate was founded in 1921 by Paul Lebrun, a cooper by trade, who developed his company servicing a clientele made up of restaurants and cafés in the Loire Valley and Paris. During the 1950s, Paul's son-in-law Raymond Foucher took the reins, and then in 1985 passed the baton to his son, Jacky Foucher.

In late 2009, with the aim of raising the company's image and developing overseas business, the Foucher family brought on Jean Mounard as a new partner to pave the road ahead. Jean spent many years at the helm of a fine and rare wine brokerage business in Paris, specializing in iconic estates such as DRC, Mouton-Rothchild, and Leflaive. His first order of business was to pioneer the production of small-batch wines from selected plots in Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and Saumur-Champigny, some of which are now farmed organically. Given his deep experience tasting the great wines of the world as well as his many contacts among top producers in the Loire, Jean has been able to establish strong relationships with growers and significantly elevate the quality of the wines.