2012 Lucien Crochet, Sancerre Rouge “La Croix du Roy” Loire Valley, France -photo grapelive

2012 Lucien Crochet, Sancerre Rouge “La Croix du Roy” Loire Valley, France.
This lovely Pinot Noir from famed Sancerre producer Lucien Crochet is drinking in its prime right now, this special La Croix du Roy bottling is a wonderful version of Loire Valley Pinot Noir that really stands out for its class, grace and delicacy in the glass which time in the bottle has given. This finely detailed 2012 La Croix du Roy Sancerre Rouge comes from seven micro parcels with set on soils that are made up of clay and limestone from the Oxfordian and Kimmeridgian eras. Crochet’s stony influenced vineyards are all hillsides on slopes that run from south-east to south to southwest with glorious exposures to the sun and has since 1989 only been worked organically. The 2012 shows satiny layers of red plum, strawberry and a core of black cherry fruits along with mineral notes, light baking spices, wilted roses and wild mushrooms, making for a medium bodied pure Pinot with incredible length and elegance. Lucien Crochet, known for their awesome Sauvignon Blanc, true terroir driven Sancerre(s), also is gifted with Pinot Noir and this La Croix du Roy is one to look for.

This stunning Sancerre Rouge has everything you’d want in a Pinot with exceptional clarity of form and with a classic flavor profile, there is almost nothing to fault here and it certainly has the substance to age further and its a great food wine that thoroughly impresses from start to finish. Crochet hand harvested and crafted this wine with a maceration and primary fermentation that lasts about 30 days with traditional remontage and pigeage (gentle daily punchdowns) before an elevage of 12 months in a combination of stainless steel (40%) and barrel (60%) with mostly used French oak being employed. Then after the cuvee is blended it is aged a further 8 months before bottling, where this Pinot is rested another 4 months before leaving the cellars, allowing it to all come together, which shows in this well developed Sancerre Rouge. This 2012 is still out there and is priced fantastically well, it is a wine that easily competes with Burgundy offerings that are twice or three times the price, this Pinot is especially delicious and its textural class makes it a standout.
($30 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive

By admin