A Sancerre Vineyard Tour – Part 2

As I write this, a warm, sunny, breeze wafts through my open window and I am immediately transported back to a similar day in the Sancerre region of the Loire Valley. The vineyard tour I was on had just finished a delicious lunch at the bistro of La Côte des Monts Damnés in Chavignol. And now we were now strolling down a lane to visit a local fromagerie – cheese maker, Dubois Boulay.

Crottin de Chavignol

In addition to producing wonderful Sancerre wine, Chavignol is also known for making the most famous goat cheese in the Loire Valley – Crottin de Chavignol. Some believe that the name comes from the small round moulds used to shape the cheese: crot – which resemble the clay oil lamps of the same name. Although others believe that it comes from the word crotte which translates to ‘dung’ since, as the Crottin ages, it gets harder and browner and tends to look like animal droppings. Whichever the case, it is a tasty little cheese and has been made in this region since the 16th century. And just like French wine, it has stringent production criteria which must be met.

After a little cheese tasting and some shopping, we were back on the bus for a quick trip across the Loire river and on to our next winery: de Ladoucette – Château du Nozet in Pouilly-sur-Loire.

A Fairy Tale Vineyard

As we turn onto the driveway, appearing before us in the valley below like something out of a fairy tale is the whimsical Château de Nozet.

While it looks like something out of the 16th century, this private family home is of a more recent construction. That doesn’t make this property short on history though. It was purchased from the estate of King Louis XV’s illegitimate daughter in 1787 by Compte – Count – Lafond. And it has remained in the Lafond and Ladoucette families ever since. It is now the largest and most famous of the Pouilly-Fumé vineyards.

The grounds are vast and beautifully maintained. Our guide takes us through one of the storage buildings. Its rough-hewn timber beams remind me of the barns of my childhood in the Ottawa Valley. I am particularly taken with the winemaker weather-vane perched on top.

Pouilly-Fumé

Through the years, the family has continued to expand the estate and more recently, the variety of wines produced. This has made it the largest and most famous Pouilly-Fumé vineyard for more that two centuries.

Our visit finishes with a tasting of a variety of de Ladoucette wines. I find it fascinating that even though Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre are both made from Sauvignon blanc grapes, each has its own unique flavour. This makes the differences in terroir quite evident as these two areas are literally a stones-throw apart. After a little more shopping, we’re on our way back to Paris. And our little tour group is armed with some of France’s best wines and cheese – lovely souvenirs of a wonderful day spent in the Loire Valley.

Make sure you don’t miss any of this tour by reading Part 1 and visiting the ‘Hill of the Damned’.

Dubois Boulay, Place de Chavignol, Chavignol, 18300 Sancerre, France

de Ladoucette – Château du Nozet, 58150 Pouilly-sur-Loire, France

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