DOMAINE DANIEL CROCHET
Loire / SANCERRE
Despite not being mentioned as frequently alongside vineyards within the municipality of Sancerre, Bué is home to a large expanse of limestone-rich vineyards and notable domaines. Among the names commonly associated with this region of Sancerre is Crochet, a family of vignerons, and among their number, flying comfortably under the radar is one Daniel Crochet, an experienced vigneron with at least twenty vintages behind him.
On the soils of white earth and pebbles in the town of Bué, the discreet Daniel Crochet, cousin of François, has been running this serious family-owned estate since 1996. The work here is of great seriousness, with weeded vineyards, barrel-aged wines, and careful winemaking. The estate is fortunate to have access to some of the best plots in the area, particularly Plante des Prés and Chêne Marchand. The precision and depth of the red wines in recent vintages is impressive and commend the meticulous work of Daniel Crochet. The whites, which are aged in enamel tanks (and partially in half-barrels for Chêne Marchand), are also of high quality, contained, very well-made, and calibrated.
Daniel Crochet is one of the most talented winemakers in the Loire region: he cultivates 10 hectares on plots located between Bué and Sancerre, fully exploiting the soils of white earth and pebbles. Both in the entry-level wines and in the prestige cuvées, all wines are consistently excellent. In whites, Plante des Prés and Chêne Marchand, located in the best areas of their respective sites, are among the very good sauvignon blancs of the region. It is a priority for wine enthusiasts.
– Bettane & Desseauve
Owner
Region
Terroirs
Farming
Harvest
Size
Grapes Grown
Vineland Rep.
Daniel and Veronique Crochet
Loire Valley
Sancerre
Organic
Manual
10 hectares
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
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DANIEL CROCHET SANCERRE BLANC
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir: White soils, clay-limestone composition. Caillottes, very stony and calcareous.
Surface: 5.2 hectares
Viticulture: Vines are pruned in a simple guyot style. The vineyard has been converting to organic farming since 2020.
Harvest: The vines range in age between 8 and 45 years. The harvest is manual, sorted, and transported to the press by conveyor belt (whole-grape pressing).
Winemaking: Sequential pneumatic pressing of whole grapes. A static settling of about 72 hours is carried out at low temperature. Fermentation in vats at temperatures between 16 and 22°C. Aging on fine lees for 6 to 10 months. Light clarification and filtration on plates then tartar stabilization. Bottling is carried out on the estate by our own team.
Notes: Pale golden color. Green and bright hues composing the robe. The nose seduces with its freshness and fruitiness. Beautiful expression in the mouth where purity and finesse blend together.
90
2016
RVF
90
2020
RVF
DANIEL CROCHET SANCERRE BLANC ‘CUVÉE PRESTIGE’
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Terroir: Caillottes, very stony and calcareous.
Surface: 0.5 hectares
Viticulture: The vines range in age between 41 and 44 years. This cuvée is made from a blend of 3 parcels of old vines.
Harvest: The harvest is manual, sorted and transported to the press by conveyor belt (whole-grape pressing).
Viticulture: Vines are pruned in a simple guyot style. The vineyard has been converting to organic farming since 2020.
Winemaking: Sequential pneumatic pressing of whole grapes. A static settling of about 72 hours is carried out at low temperature. Fermentation in vats at temperatures between 16 and 22°C. Native yeasts. Aging on fine lees for 6 to 9 months, regularly remixed by stirring. Light clarification and filtration on plates then tartar stabilization. Bottling is carried out on the estate by our own team.
Notes: Yellow, pale gold color. The nose offers citrus aromas, imposing with a beautiful intensity. The mouth is gourmet, balanced, letting the richness of a ripe fruit express itself.
92
2018
RVF
91
2019
RVF
DANIEL CROCHET SANCERRE BLANC ‘PLANTE DES PRES’
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Exposure: South facing
Terroir: Very friable limestone called "griottes"
Surface: 0.27 hectare
Viticulture: Vines are pruned in a simple guyot style. The vineyard has been converting to organic farming since 2020.
Harvest: The vine (Plante des Prés) was planted in 1965. The harvest is manual, sorted and transported to the press by conveyor belt (whole-grape pressing).
Winemaking: Sequential pneumatic pressing of whole grapes. A static settling of about 72 hours is carried out at low temperature. Fermentation in vats at temperatures between 16 and 22°C. Native yeasts. Aging on fine lees with regular stirring for a period of 8 to 12 months depending on the years. Natural and light filtration. Bottling is carried out on the estate by our own team.
Tasting notes: Pale golden color. The nose expresses the terroir and becomes richer over time. A strong attack is enveloped by a sweetness well married with acidity.
92
2019
RVF
92
2020
RVF
DANIEL CROCHET SANCERRE BLANC ‘CHENE MARCHAND’
Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Exposure: South facing
Terroir: Limestone called "caillottes".
Surface: 0.6 hectares
Viticulture: Vines are pruned in a simple guyot style. The vineyard has been converting to organic farming since 2020. The vine (Chêne Marchand) was planted in 1965.
Harvest: The harvest is manual, sorted and transported to the press by conveyor belt (whole-grape pressing).
Winemaking: Sequential pneumatic pressing of whole grapes. A static settling of about 72 hours is carried out at low temperature. Fermentation in 600-liter tonneau and vats at temperatures between 16 and 22°C. Native yeasts. Aging on fine lees with regular stirring for a period of 8 to 12 months depending on the years. Natural and light filtration. Bottling is carried out on the estate by our own team.
Tasting notes: Pale golden color. The nose expresses the terroir with purity and frankness. The rich finish explodes with a note of freshness.
91
2019
RVF
93
2020
RVF
DANIEL CROCHET SANCERRE ROSÉ
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Terroir: White soils with clay-limestone composition. Kimmeridgian marl soils.
Surface: 0.8 hectares
Viticulture: Vines are trained in Guyot simple or Cordon de Royat. The vineyard is in the process of converting to organic agriculture since 2020.
Harvest: Vines are between 30 and 33 years old. Harvest is manual and grapes are sorted before being pressed with whole grapes.
Winemaking: The rosé wine is obtained by using sequential pneumatic pressing of whole Pinot Noir grapes. A static settling for about 48 hours is carried out at a low temperature. Fermentation takes place in tanks at temperatures between 16 and 22°C and the wine is aged on fine lees for 3 to 4 months. Light clarification and filtration on plates, then tartaric stabilization. Bottling is done at the estate by us.
Notes: The color is shiny salmon pink. The nose is fresh with aromas of small red fruits. The balance between structure and aromas is perfect with a good freshness.
DANIEL CROCHEt SANCERRE RED
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Terroir: White soils, clay-limestone composition. Kimmeridgian marl.
Surface: 2 hectares
Viticulture: Vines are pruned in a simple guyot or in a cord of Royat. The vineyard has been converting to organic farming since 2020.
Harvest: The age of the vines ranges from 17 to 43 years. The harvest is manual, sorted, and either fully or partially destemmed before being fermented.
Winemaking: Cold maceration for 6 to 14 days, then fermentation starts (temperatures between 16 and 26°C). Native yeasts. Gentle pumping over and pigeage is carried out during this period. The duration of the cuvaison is 18 to 30 days. Press juice is blended with free-run juice or vinified separately. 60% of the juice is put directly into barrels (new to 6 wines) and 500-liter tonneaux, 40% in wooden vats to undergo malolactic fermentation. Aging is carried out for about 12 months. Racked into concrete tanks for 4 to 6 months. Bottling is carried out on the estate by our own team.
Notes: Vibrant purple-red color. The nose expresses red fruit like raspberry
91
2016
RVF
91
2019
RVF
DANIEL CROCHET-SANCERRE ROUGE 'CUVEE PRESTIGE'
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Terroir: White soils of clay-limestone composition. Kimmeridgian marl.
Surface: 0.4 hectares
Viticulture: The vines are trained in Guyot simple or Cordon de Royat. The vineyard has been in conversion to organic farming since 2020.
Harvest: The age of the vines ranges between 44 and 50 years. This cuvée is a blend of old vines. The harvest is manual, sorted, and sorted (total or partial depending on vintages) before being put into vats.
Winemaking: Cold maceration for 6 to 14 days, then fermentation starts (temperatures between 22 and 26°C). Indigenous yeasts. Light pump-overs and pigeages are performed during this period. The cuvaison lasts from 18 to 30 days. Press juice is incorporated with the free-run juice or fermented separately. All juice is placed directly in barrels (new to 5 years old) and 500-liter tonneaux for malolactic fermentation. Aged for about 12 months. Remise in bulk in concrete vat for 4 to 6 months. Bottled on property.
Notes: The robe is dense, a deep red with purple hues. The nose is complex and precise, offering aromas of ripe fruits: blueberry and blackberry. The mouth is powerful, coating mature tannins. The fruit aromas are harmonized with a nice woodiness.
93
2017
RVF
91
2019
RVF
Daniel Crochet Sancerre Rouge 'Sur le Clou'
Grape variety: Pinot Noir
Terroir: Saint-Doulchard marls, limestone subsoil.
Surface: 0.15 hectares
Viticulture: The vines are pruned in Guyot simple. The vineyard is in conversion to organic farming since 2020.
Harvest: The vines are 45 years old. This cuvée is made from whole-bunch fermentation. The harvest is manual, sorted, and pressed in whole bunches.
Winemaking: Cold maceration for 6 to 10 days, then the fermentations start (temperatures between 22 and 26°C). Native yeasts. No pumpovers or punch downs, only infusion. The length of the vatting is between 18 and 30 days.
The press juice is blended with the free-run juice or vinified separately. All the juice is put directly into barrels (up to 5 years old) for malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged for about 12 months. Racked into a vat for 4 to 6 months.
Notes: The color is clear and shiny. The nose is complex with floral, spicy, and very intense red fruit aromas. The wine is crisp and persistent with lots of freshness. Perfect for aging.
91
2018
RVF
92
2019
RVF
