Sébastien Vaillant – Valençay

Country: France Region: Loire Valley 

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc 

Vintage: 2021 Colour: White Style: Dry

Producer: Sebastien Valliant

PRODUCER
Sébastien Vaillant learnt winemaking as the cellar manager for Jean Tatin at Domaine des Ballandors in Quincy. He then returned to his 22 hectare family domaine in Valençay, in the western part of the Loire’s Central Vineyards. Valençay achieved official AC status from the 2002 vintage and is the only area to hold this for both its wine and its distinctive pyramid-shaped goat’s cheese, which is also the ideal accompaniment for the wine.

Sébastien’s vineyard sits in the rain shadow of the nearby forest, which provides dry, healthy conditions for viticulture. Unlike most producers, Sébastien grows Chardonnay as well as Sauvignon Blanc, making his Valençay wine a unique blend in this part of the Loire. The Sauvignon Blanc is grown on the distinctive flint soils, which give the characteristic mineral quality to all the best wines made in the area, while the Chardonnay is planted on sandy lime soils, which adds richness to the wine.


TASTING NOTES
This wine is light lemon in colour with a lovely grassy, citrus nose showing plenty of zesty Sauvignon Blanc aromas. The creamy palate has great balance with lively acidity from the Sauvignon rounded out by the richer Chardonnay, with a mineral note on the finish.