2023 Daniel Crochet Sancerre 750 ml

The name Crochet is synonymous with Bué, one of the greatest villages in the Sancerre appellation. Daniel Crochet, a vigneron with over two decades at the helm of his domaine, makes some of the finest wines in town.

It comes down to the dirt: Crochet organically farms some of the most prized lieux-dits in town. These sites are blessed with plenty of terres blanches soil—the unique mixture of clay and limestone that’s found in the best sites in Bué and Chavignol—mixed with pebblier caillottes. It’s part of Bué’s exquisite terroir, which grows zippy Sauvignon Blanc that stands with the top names in the Loire.

Visiting Daniel during harvest, you’re struck by the attention he pays to the pressing of his wines. Whole bunches of Sauvignon Blanc are loaded into a modern pneumatic press, which uses an air-filled bladder to gently squeeze out the juice at precise pressures. The slow pressing is enough to capture the pale color that he’s after—resulting in more precision and elegance in the flavors.

Afterward, the juice settles for a full three days to improve the purity of the must, before fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks whose temperatures are precisely controlled. All these cellar measures are designed to coax grace and flawless fruit flavors from the grapes—and the finished wine delivers that in spades.

2023 was a warm vintage that endowed Crochet’s wines with a bit of extra richness and fruit—perfectly balanced by the vibrant minerality and acidity that the limestone soils deliver. It’s a year that rewarded producers who naturally craft bottles of balance and grace—and Bué’s best, like Daniel, certainly fit that mold.