Perched on the hills of the Berry region, the Sancerre appellation stands as one of the most distinctive terroirs in the Loire Valley. At the heart of this exceptional vineyard, Château de Sancerre — one of the rare châteaux to bear the name of an appellation — is offering this summer an exclusive wine tourism experience: the Escape into the Vineyards. Three exclusive days, three immersions into the intimacy of the estate’s plots, to understand from within what gives a great Sancerre its soul.
A rare invitation to step beyond the cellar and walk the very ground from which the estate’s most iconic wines are born.
Duration : 3 hours
3 Dates : 06 JUN – 03 JUL- 21 AUG
Armed with their travel notebooks, guests board the estate’s minibuses and head into the vines. The tour of Château de Sancerre’s most emblematic plots unfolds across a landscape of rolling hills shaped by centuries of viticulture. The winemaker, guide for this escape, reveals the secrets of each of the four soils that make up the Sancerre terroir: flint, chalk, clay and sand.
This singular geological richness – expressed across 57 hectares of vineyards with vines averaging 30 years of age – is the beating heart of the estate’s wines. Out here, between the rows, it becomes clear why a Sancerre Blanc can carry the cool minerality of flint in one plot and the softer roundness of chalky soils in another.
“Our immersive journey is an opportunity to discover the richness of our soils, the work of the vine, and the imprint they leave on our wines.”
Château de Sancerre
After the walk through the vines, the tour continues into the vaulted cellars of Château de Sancerre – a historic setting dating from the 14th and 19th centuries, built from limestone, flint and brick, a direct reflection of the vineyard’s own terroirs. In this storied space, guests are taken behind the scenes of the winemaking process: from harvest reception through to ageing in oak barrels or amphorae, the precision of the cellar is laid bare.
The estate, certified HVE level 4 (High Environmental Value) and engaged in a conversion to organic farming, embodies a philosophy of responsible viticulture, faithful to its motto: “Passe avant le meilleur” – pass before the best.
The escape draws to a close with its most anticipated moment: a commented tasting of the estate’s finest cuvées. Having walked among the vines, breathed the air of the Sancerre hillsides, and observed the differences in soil from one plot to the next, the tasting takes on an entirely new dimension. Each glass becomes legible; every aroma finds its origin in the ground covered just hours before.
From the vibrant Sauvignon Blanc – with its notes of ripe gooseberry and gunflint – to the complex, sensual Pinot Noir, the winemaker guides the tasting, weaving together terroir, human craft and expression in the glass.
This exclusive experience is part of the flagship wine tourism itineraries of the Loire Wine Route. Discover all visits and tastings at Château de Sancerre on laroutedesvinsdeloire.fr
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