Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre from Domaine Tabordet - Organic and Biodynamic!
11/01/2024
Domaine Tabordet is one of the rising stars of Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre! The estate was established by Raymond Tabordet in the 1960s, with 4.5 hectares of vines near Verdigny in Sancerre. Raymond's sons Yvon and Pascal expanded the estate into Pouilly-Fumé in the 1980s. The domain is now certified organic and Biodynamic (Demeter). Vinifications are done naturally without added sulfur or enzymes, fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts that are unique to each terroir and overall sulfur use is minimal. The wines are balanced and bright with beautiful purity of fruit and superb terroir expression - they offer exceptional quality and value for all your fall and end of year festivities! Quantities are limited…
Domaine Tabordet is one of the rising stars of Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre! The estate was established by Raymond Tabordet in the 1960s, with 4.5 hectares of vines near Verdigny in Sancerre. Raymond's sons Yvon and Pascal expanded the estate into Pouilly-Fumé in the 1980s. The domain is now certified organic and Biodynamic (Demeter). Vinifications are done naturally without added sulfur or enzymes, fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts that are unique to each terroir and overall sulfur use is minimal. The wines are balanced and bright with beautiful purity of fruit and superb terroir expression - they offer exceptional quality and value for all your fall and end of year festivities! Quantities are limited…
Expansion followed, with the gentle slopes of the land encouraging "industrial" agriculture and high yields, with quality rarely reaching that of the better estates in Sancerre next door. Happily, estates such as Domaine Tabordet, Jonathan Didier Pabiot, Dagueneau and a few others are now making superb wines on the exceptional terroirs of Kimmeridgian marls, limestone "caillottes" and flint/silex which bring wonderful mineral flavors and firm structure to the wines. (The word "Fumé" by the way, has nothing to do with a smoky or flinty flavor - it was originally a descriptive term having to do with the frequently smoky or grey color of the Sauvignon, also called Blanc "Fumé)
The delicious 2023 Tabordet Pouilly-Fumé "Domaine" comes from vines on the three main terroirs of Pouilly-Fumé: in the commune of Villiers, on "Calcaire de Villiers," an Oxfordian limestone that degrades on the surface to large flat "caillottes," or fragments of the limestone; in Saint-Laurent-L'Abbaye on Kimmeridgian marls ("terres blanches" or technically "Marnes et Calcaires à Nanogyra Virgula") with the associated oyster shells; and also in Saint-Laurent, on beds of flint or silex (a sedimentary crystalline form of quartz, laid down in association with limestone) which now lies above the older Kimmeridgian bedrock. Thus this lovely wine includes the more forward fruit of the calcaire soils, the citrusy aromatics and fine texture from flint and the complexity and structure from the Kimmeridgian terroir.
In other words it's delicious and it's a sensational value!
The superb 2023 Tabordet Sancerre is from vines in and around Verdingy, 80% on Oxfordian limestone ("Caillottes") soils having flat, crushed limestone surface stones, and 20% on Kimmeridgian marl soils (Terres Blanches) having an abundance of fossilized shells. The caillottes soil gives the wine immediate appeal and delightful aromatics, with th e 20% Kimmeridgian terroir adding structure and elegance. It's not a wine for long aging, but it will provide classic Sancerre refreshment over the next few years. Here's Jeff's review from last weeks tasting: The 2023 Sancerre is clean, crisp and mineral, with a mid-weight palate and great energy. Not overly citrusy up front, there is a nice balance of bright aromatics and mineral depth that makes it a versatile option with or without food. The acidity is focused and zippy, with a textured palate that rounds things out in an elegant way. An incredible value for Sancerre!
