Tasting Notes
After Les Monts-Damnés and La Grande Côte, Le Clos de Beaujeu is Boulay's third blue-blooded site. Boulay's parcel lies within the original Clos of this vineyard, established by the monks of Beaujeu in the Middle Ages. The walls of the Clos are no longer standing as they were originally built from clay and hay, and have not withstood the test of time. On this slope of Kimmeridgian limestone and clay, right beside the village, Boulay farms a small parcel of 30-110 year old vines. The soils here are particularly rocky - limestone rich and strewn with fossils. Along with the 60o gradient, these rocky soils make this parcel very difficult to farm. Le Clos de Beaujeu is the source of some of the Domaine's most structured wines (it's no surprise that Delaporte still farms some Pinot Noir here). This wine was naturally fermented and raised in large, upright cask (60%) and in three and four year old 300-litre barrels (40%) for some 10 months. What grabs you first is the highly charged mineral impact, followed by the hum and buzz of lime pith fruit and chalky texture. With its tangy energy infusing every drop, this is a reminder of why the top wines from this village regularly draw comparison with the finest wines of Burgundy or Germany, but there is also an inky core that is pure Beaujeu. - Importer Note
The Boulay family has been rooted in Chavignol since the 14th century, and today Gérard Boulay is recognised as one of the Loire Valley’s benchmark producers. His organically tended vineyards lie on the steep, Kimmeridgian limestone slopes surrounding Chavignol – the same fossil-rich soils that run through Chablis – and it is this terroir that gives his wines their crystalline purity and long-lived character.
Boulay works across some of Chavignol’s most celebrated lieux-dits: La Côte (a south-facing slope producing rich, structured Sancerre of great depth), Clos de Beaujeu (an historic site with thin soils and steep terraces giving nervy, mineral wines), and Monts Damnés (the “damned mountain”, one of Sancerre’s greatest vineyards, delivering power, intensity and remarkable ageing capacity). From these sites he produces distinct bottlings, alongside the Tradition cuvée – a blend of several parcels around the village that showcases the elegance and finesse of Chavignol as a whole.
In the cellar, Boulay works with minimal intervention: natural fermentations, élevage in stainless steel and neutral oak, and no unnecessary additions. The result is wines that are pure, terroir-driven and highly expressive – vibrant and saline in their youth, yet capable of evolving for decades. His Sancerres stand as true reference points for the appellation, bridging immediate pleasure with profound age-worthiness.
| Product Type | Wine White Sauvignon Blanc |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Sub Region | Sancerre |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |