Choosing your wine

Wine has its own language – and it can be intimidating. Terroir, minerality, tension, vintage, aging… These words circulate in cellars and on labels without always being explained.

This lexicon is built from our daily reality in Chavignol. Each definition is rooted in what we experience in the vineyard and cellar – not in an academic dictionary.

Terroir refers to the combination of natural elements that make a wine originate from a specific place: the soil, subsoil, climate, exposure, and topography.

In Sancerre, the terroir is primarily divided into three types of soil: limestone (Terres Blanches), Kimmeridgian marl, and flint (Caillottes). Each provides a distinct expression of Sauvignon Blanc, even when vinified in the same way.

Terroir is what makes a wine unable to come from anywhere else. It is its geographical identity, its 'identity card' in a bottle.

Minerality is one of the most used – and most debated – concepts in the world of wine. It describes a complex sensation on the palate: an impression of stone, chalk, sometimes smoke or salt.

In Sancerre, it is expressed very concretely depending on the terroir:

• On limestone: chalky, light, fresh minerality
• On marl: deep, almost earthy minerality, salinity
• On flint: smoky, electric, distinctive minerality

Scientifically, the origin of minerality in wine is still debated. What is certain: it is perceived consistently and coherently in wines from certain terroirs – and it contributes to the length and signature of the wine.

Acidity is what gives wine its freshness and liveliness. It's a physical sensation — a slight salivation, a feeling of lightness.

In Sancerre wines, acidity is a central quality. It structures the wine, prolongs the aromas, and allows the wine to age. A white Sancerre without acidity would be flat, without personality.

Not to be confused with sourness — a well-integrated acidity is pleasant and balancing. Excessive acidity is aggressive. Balance is key.

A "tense" wine is a straightforward, precise, dynamic wine. One perceives a sensation of linear liveliness in the mouth — like a taut string rather than a soft surface.

Tension is one of the most sought-after qualities in great Loire Sauvignon Blancs. It comes from acidity, but also from the mineral structure and the freshness of the fruit.

A "relaxed" wine is not necessarily bad — it is simply rounder, fuller. Tension is a style, not an absolute criterion.

The vintage refers to the year the grapes were harvested. In France, it's indicated on the bottle.

Why is this important? Because each vintage is unique. The year's climatic conditions — spring, summer, ripeness, harvesting conditions — directly influence the wine's style.

A cool vintage will produce wines that are more taut, more mineral, often suited for aging. A warm vintage will produce wines that are rounder, more expressive, often more accessible when young.

→ Read our complete guide to vintages

The grape variety is the type of grape. It is the genetic basis of the wine - before the terroir, before the winemaking process.

In Sancerre: Sauvignon Blanc for whites and rosés, Pinot Noir for reds. These two grape varieties have very different personalities and react differently to terroirs and vintages.

Globally, there are several thousand different grape varieties. Each region has its emblematic grape varieties - Sauvignon Blanc is that of the Loire.

Aging is the period between the end of fermentation and bottling. During this time, the wine 'builds itself' — it refines, develops its structure and aromas.

Aging can take place in stainless steel tanks (preserves freshness and fruit), in oak barrels (adds roundness, complexity, sometimes toasted or vanilla notes), or on lees (natural yeast deposits that add texture).

At Domaine Henri Bourgeois, we use different aging methods depending on the cuvées — always with the aim of serving the expression of the terroir, not masking the wine with wood.

Length is the time that the aromas linger in the mouth after swallowing the wine. It is sometimes measured in 'caudalies' (a unit used by sommeliers - 1 caudalie = 1 second).

A great wine has great length. The aromas linger, evolve, and become more complex after swallowing. A short wine quickly disappears.

Length is often the criterion that differentiates an ordinary wine from a great wine - even more so than the nose or the attack on the palate.

Residual sugars are the natural sugars in grapes that have not been converted into alcohol through fermentation. The more there are, the sweeter the wine.

Dry wines have less than 4 g/L of residual sugar (often much less). Semi-dry wines have between 4 and 12 g/L. Sweet wines exceed 45 g/L.

Sancerre white wine is always vinified dry — residual sugars are almost non-existent.

→ Read: Why is Sancerre always dry?

Winemaking is the sum of operations that transform grapes into wine. From harvest to bottling, including pressing, fermentation, and aging.

Each estate makes its own winemaking choices — some are very interventionist (additions, corrections), others very little so. At Famille Bourgeois, our philosophy is to intervene as little as possible to let the terroir express itself.