Domaine du Pre Semele |
Meet the ProducerSince inheriting Domaine du Pré Semelé from his father Rémy, Clément Raimbault, in partnership with his brother Julien, has transformed it into a rising star of Sancerre. Fastidious, verging on obsessive, he is driven to make the very best Sancerre possible from his family's 20ha estate. The vineyards lie on clay-limestone (mostly Kimmeridgian marls with some Portlandian limestone) near Maimbray, to the north of the village of Sancerre, and are carefully managed following the principles of reasoned agriculture. Although not the largest or most famous Sancerre producer, and possibly because of this, Clément's passion is supported by intricate winemaking skills resulting in wines that faithfully communicate their beautiful terroir.
|
Production |
Julien and Clément manage 20 hectares of vines across 60 different parcels, three quarters of which are Sauvignon Blanc and one quarter Pinot Noir. Soils are primarily the classic ‘terres blanches’ clay-chalk, a heavier soil which gives the wines a ripe fruit character, and some 'caillottes', a form of limestone. A very modern, well-equipped, stainless steel cellar allows them to control the temperature of the wines during fermentation and later storage in tank prior to bottling to retain the freshness of the fruit characters. The grapes for this cuvée are a blend from all of the Raimbault's parcels of Sauvignon Blanc, and the wine is aged in stainless steel for ten months on its lees.
|