Sancerre Comte Lafond Blanc

This wine pairs beautifully with shellfish, seafood and goat cheeses.

The largest and most famous Pouilly-Fumé vineyards have been in the hands of the Comte Lafond and Ladoucette families since 1787 when the Comte Lafond purchased the estate from the illegitimate daughter of the French king Louis XV. The estate is now owned by Baron Patrick de Ladoucette a descendant of the Comte Lafond and Pouilly Fumé has earned a reputation as one of the world’s great white wines. After taking over Ladoucette in 1972 the Baron extended his activities to Sancerre Chablis Vouvray and Chinon. Today the Baron produces outstanding Loire Valley wines under the de Ladoucette Marc Bredif La Poussie Regnard and Baron Patrick labels. Many of the wines including the Pouilly Fumé de Ladoucette Baron de L and Comte Lafond are considered to be the finest examples of their type.

Baron Patrick de Ladoucette produces this wine. The growing area is the Sancerre Controlled Appellation area, which includes the villages of Bué, Chaudoux, Chavignol and Verdigny. Vines are aged from 25 to 35 years. The soil is a combination of clay, limestone and silica.

In stainless vats thermostatically regulated to 64°F for six to eight weeks. On lees for three to six months with regulation agitation. The wine is never placed in wooden barrels in order to preserve the natural aromas of the grapes.

The grapes are transported in wagons which have bases that open to allow the grapes to empty uniquely by gravity. The winery is made up of three levels. The first level is where the grapes are received and sorted without crushing keeping the grapes from the different parcels separate. The juice then flows simply by gravity to the second level where the pressing with the division of the juice "à la champenoise" takes place. The third level is where the wine clarified using a cooling system to regulate the temperature of the juice with maceration “pulpaire”.