Sancerre Clos La Neore, Edmond Vatan 2016

The 2016 Sancerre “Clos la Néore” from Edmund and Anne Vatan has turned out beautifully. Readers may recall that the 2016 vintage was an extremely difficult one across the Loire Valley, but Sancerre at least benefited from far less severe frost damage than was the case elsewhere along the river, so yields were generally only down around ten percent from frost damage here. Hydric stress was a problem later in the summer, but lovely weather in September helped what bunches which were out on the vine ripen nicely and the 2016 Vatan Clos la Néore has come in at a very old school thirteen percent octane in this vintage. The wine is still quite youthful, but offers up a lovely nose of lime, gooseberry, raw almond, a complex base of limestone minerality, early notes of Chartreuse-like botanicals, lime peel and just a wisp of white pepper. On the palate the wine is bright, racy and full-bodied, with a tightly-knit personality, a lovely core, a very complex base of soil, excellent focus and balance and a long, refined and very promising finish. This reminds me a bit of vintages like 2007 and 2008 out of the blocks. 2026-2055+