Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre 2019 (Loire) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a brilliant Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the August 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release. However, this lovely white wine is listed as a VINTAGES Online Exclusive and can only be purchased online through LCBO.com.

One of my favourite Loire wine producers, Jean-Max Roger comes from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the early part of the 17th century. The winery, which has evolved over time with the development of the estate, is located in the heart of the village of Bué. The oldest structures on the estate are date back to the 17th century, while part of the winery was once one of the village's tithe barns.

In the early 1970s, Jean-Max Roger took over the property from his parents, and in 2004 was joined by two of his three sons, Thibault and Etienne. The estate's vineyards are managed according to regional winegrowing traditions, while also striving to uphold sustainable viticultural practices. The Roger family uses the Guyot Poussart pruning method which helps to better balance the vines and respect sap flow, in turn keeping the vines strong and healthy.

I last enjoyed this white wine when the 2018 Jean-Max Roger Cuvée Marnes et Caillottes Sancerre arrived at the LCBO in November 2019 and am delighted to taste the latest vintage. The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc were grown in several vineyards within the Sancerre appellation villages of Bué and Amigny. The soils in these vineyards are a blend of Kimmeridgian Marls called "Marnes" and Limestone called "Caillottes" - hence the name of this wine. The vines are between 5 and 40 years of age with southeastern and southwestern exposure to the sun and farmed using organic principles to revitalize soil life and produce grapes that reveal its terroir. At the winery, the grapes are long-fermented using natural yeasts to develop aromatic complexity, followed by ageing on heavy lees to develop minerality.

During the growing season in 2019, although the summer heat and dry weather stressed the vines and reduced yields, the fruit at harvest was of premium quality, with general consensus being that the quality is even better than the previous year. I rated the last vintage of this wine 92 pts, let's see how the 2019 is tasting...

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE MARNES ET CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2019 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $31.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc from Kimmeridgian Marls ("Marnes") and stony calcareous "Caillottes" terroirs, this has an intense, aromatic nose that is elegant, pretty, and ripe with lemon citrus, floral, and earthy white stone mineral notes accented with stone fruit and white peach. The concentrated, medium-full bodied palate has lovely aroma replays of ripe lemon citrus, white peach, floral, and white stone mineral adding a pleasant savoury touch. Subtly spice on the mid-palate, along with a slightly chalky texture. Finely balanced throughout with fresh, well-articulated acidity. Oyster-shell minerality with hints of citrus lingers on the juicy finish, with excellent length. Beautiful. Highly recommended buy. Score: 92+ pts

Other lovely wines from Jean-Max Roger are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.