Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol

Tasting at Henri Bourgeois, Chavignol, October 24, 2009

We had a chance to make a day long trip to Chavignol and Sancerre immediately after a 4 day short course in Orleans. We walked in to Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol and had to good fortune to be able to attach ourselves to a group of wine makers participating in an Australian-French wine exchange. After a detailed tour of the wine making facilities, a mixture of completely new and older traditional equipment, we tasted a series of Bourgeois wines. The Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Blanc, grown on Silex soils, and the Bourgeois Le MD de Bourgeois Sancerre Blanc, grown on Kimmeridgian marls, were the clear standouts, with the different expression of the terroirs emerging clearly on the two wines: the Silex, austere and bracing, with a long mineral finish, while the MD presents a more softer, more floral finish. Samples from 2002 and 2001 of the two wines respectively indicate that 6-7 years in the bottle goes a long way to bringing out the best in these two wines.

2008 Henri Bourgeois Grande Reserve Sancerre Blanc

The terroir here is calcareous clay (argilo-calcaire) in Chavignol. The wine is slightly harsh at this young age, with a brassy Sauvignon Blanc nose that in its austerity does not seem to jive with the tropical pineapple fruit on the palate. Correct Sauvignon Blanc, but this ended up as one of my least favorite of the tasting, not being a fan of tropical fruits unless suitably wrapped (see Riesling…).

Henri Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Rouge

Grown on flinty Silex soil, the 2006 Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Rouge is lean, austere Pinot Noir, but long on the finish, with real grip making up for its lack of sheer density. An interesting wine that I would have liked to have sampled further, especially with food. The 1999 Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Rouge was noticeably softer, with a garnet rim on the wine, but also without the length of the 2006. I could not tell if this is a wine from a lesser vintage, or whether it has lost some of vibrancy with too much age.

2002 Henri Bourgeois Le Chêne Saint-Etienne Sancerre Blanc

Grown on Kimmeridgian marls, this wine is distinguished by a heavy dose of sulfur on the nose, while the palate is sappy, with no of that nervosité that one typically associates with classical Loire Sauvignon Blanc. Way too much oak treatment for my taste.

2005 Henri Bourgeois Etienne Henri Sancerre Blanc

Grown on Silex soils, this one struck me as another somewhat atypical Sauvignon Blanc, although the raw materials seemed good. The length was impressive, and some acidity was present to frame the fruit, but the Sauvignon Blanc character seems to have been stripped by the time in new oak barrels. Too bad given the raw materials…

2001 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre d’Antan Sancerre Blanc

Grown on Silex soil and made apparently with more traditional methods, the wine shows a faint green asparagus note on the nose, while the palate is bracing in its nervy acidity. Excellent length, the wine finishes with a beguiling green floral note.

2008 Henri Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Blanc

Grown on Silex soil, this wine makes a very interesting contrast with the Mont Damnés (MD) wines grown on Kimmeridgian soil. The 2008 shows a classical Sauvignon Blanc profile of freshly mown hay, with a surprising roundness in the mouth, even if a hint of aggressivity remains in this young, bracing wine. The 2002 Henri Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre Blanc is even rounder, almost fat by Sancerre standards, with almond notes dominating the long finish. OK, 6-7 years seems to do it on this fine wine…

2008 Henri Bourgeois Le MD de Bourgeois Sancerre Blanc

My notes indicate that the 2008 was much better than the preceding wine (the 2006 or 2007??), with a softer, rounder palate dominated by citrus and an excellent finish. Wish I had some better notes on the 2006 or 2007, or whatever it was. But we did go on to taste the 2001 Henri Bourgeois Le MD de Bourgeois Sancerre Blanc, which showed white flower aromas and a round, sappy palate of almonds and walnuts. Fine length on this wine, the Silex La Bourgeoise really has nothing over the Kimmeridgian MD, with both developing a sappier mouthfeel and a more floral character with some bottle age.