Domaine Jean-Paul Balland

Sancerre is an especially privileged wine growing location, proudly dominating some of the most beautiful scenery in the Loire valley.
The famous Sauvignon Blanc appellation is located on the left bank of the Loire, across from Pouilly-Fumé.
The grape is grown all along the Loire River, throughout Touraine, but it reaches its apogee in the eastern Loire, at Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, because of the region’s chalk, flint and marl soils.
At its best, and with meticulous vineyard management and skilled handling in the cellar, Sancerre combines the piercing, aromatic fruit qualities of the grape variety with the dry-as-a-bone, minerally, stony character derived from its special location – what the French call “terroir”.
Sancerre can achieve this because it’s not a mass-produced wine.
The Balland family own some of the best vineyards in this famous area, producing wines of a pale golden colour and an assertive bouquet of gooseberry and lemon with a delightful supple finish.
DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS 2014:INTERNATIONAL TROPHY WINNER (Sauvignon Blanc over £15)JEAN-PAUL BALLAND SANCERRE GRAND CUVEE 2012
“Understated, restrained and elegant with superb expression of fruit. A polished, floral nose shows a hint of oak spice and minerally fruits leading to a palate of yellow plums and flint, backed up by fresh acidity singing with mineral nuances. Great ageing potential”