Domaine Henri Bourgeois : Les Ruchons 2020

The freshness and aromatic purity of a Loire white wine

The estate

Arnaud, Lionel and Jean-Christophe Bourgeois are the third generation at the helm of the family estate founded in 1950 by Henri Bourgeois. Covering 72 hectares, the vineyard of Domaine Henri Bourgeois spans a mosaic of terroirs composed of clay-limestone soils, Kimmeridgian marl and flint that contribute to the signature of each of these Loire wines. Through the passion and rigor applied to both vineyard management and parcel-specific winemaking, for which they were among the pioneers, the Bourgeois family produces wines renowned for their quality, finesse and pure expression of each of these great original terroirs.

The vineyard

Les Ruchons de la Famille Bourgeois is a Sancerre wine from a 1.03-hectare parcel planted in 1970 on the Fontenay terroir in the northern part of the appellation, renowned for its flinty soil.

Winemaking and aging

Hand-harvested grapes. Slow pressing followed by natural cold settling of the must for 3 days. This Sancerre white wine undergoes an alcoholic fermentation of 3 to 4 weeks in stainless steel tanks (two-thirds of the must) and in French oak barrels (one to three fills) (one-third of the must). It is racked before malolactic fermentation in barrels for one-third of the wine, the remainder on its gross fermentation lees with regular bâtonnage until Easter. Aged on fine lees in stainless steel tanks with bâtonnage until Christmas, then rested for 10 months in tanks until bottling.

Grape variety

The 2020 Les Ruchons from Domaine Henri Bourgeois is 100% Sauvignon Blanc.