Get to know: Emile Balland, Coteaux du Giennois Blanc

Tasting Note

Super old vine Sauvignon Blanc from the heart of Sancerre. The calcareous soils add the signature minerality and five months ageing on the lees just softens the acidity slightly. Lots of fresh lime citrus, gooseberry and a grassy aroma with a chalky mineral finish.

Try this with a goats cheese salad.

Kate Says

“Here’s a fab wine from Coteaux du Giennois which is next door to Sancerre and gives you a very similar style of wine. You get the grapefruity, gooseberry minerality that you would expect and it has the same effortless elegance on the palate. I’d love this at a picnic or with a plate of goats cheese.”

Producer Info

The estate is comprised of just 9 total hectares; 1 in Sancerre and 8 in the Coteaux du Giennois. Emile’s holdings in the Giennois lie within the villages of Bonny-sur-Loire and Beaulieu-sur-Loire where the vineyards rise gently from the banks of the Loire. From these calcareous soils, with sub-strata of silex and clay, come the wines Emile calls Les Beaux Jours.

100% Sauvignon Blanc from 50-60 year old vines in claylimestone soils covered in caillottes. Natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel after 6 hours of temperature controlled maceration and rests on lees for up to 5 months with light filtration before bottling.