09 Mar Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Saget La Perrière 2016 La Perrière Megalithe, Sancerre
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the world’s most popular white wines. It is often made in stainless steel tanks resulting in wines that are meant to drink young and fresh. But some Sauvignon Blanc is put into oak barrels, resulting in a more full-bodied style wine that has the potential to age. With more than five years of age on it, I opened the Saget La Perrière 2016 La Perrière Megalithe from Sancerre, France. Delicate and elegant, the Saget La Perrière 2016 La Perrière Megalithe, Sancerre is the Please The Palate wine of the week.
The Saget family has been in the Loire Valley for nine generations and they have estates across the valley. In 1996, the Saget family bought Clos de La Perrière, a 106-acre property in the Sancerre appellation. Sancerre, located in the eastern part of the Loire Valley, is dominated by plantings of Sauvignon Blanc. Clos de La Perrière is one of the oldest and most prestigious estates in the appellation dating back to 1834 and the Saget family bought the property from the family who was the original owner. Clos de La Perrière, as with all the vineyards owned by Saget La Perriere, is certified HVE3 which encourages vineyards to focus on increasing biodiversity, decreasing the negative environmental impact of their phytosanitary strategy, managing their fertilizer inputs and improving water management.
Megalithe is the icon wine of Saget La Perrière. It was first produced in 1998. The purpose of this wine is to show the great aging potential of white Sancerre. The grapes, which are grown in Silex soils, are hand-harvested and gentle pressed. 40% of the juice is fermented in new 300 liter oak barrels, and remains for eight to nine months with regular lees stirring. The other 60% is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks.
The Saget La Perrière 2016 La Perrière Megalithe, Sancerre ($45) has an elegant and complex nose with notes of lemon curd, apple, flinty minerality, and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, the wine lingers on the mid-palate with fresh acidity. This wine has enough such a lovely texture that will pair beautifully with cheeses, delicate fish, scallops, or lobster. This wine is 6 years old and I really enjoyed drinking it but I could have held onto this wine longer as it definitely had the ability to age. I will have to pick up another bottle and hold onto it for longer next time.