Hands down, a top producer in the Sancerre region of France’s Loire Valley, the Crochet Estate has now produced wine for over 30 vintages. Laurence Crochet, now at the helm, made the bold decision to temporarily leave Sancerre in 1978 to pursue his oenological studies in Dijon, Burgundy, where he subsequently worked at the fameis d Domaine Dujac. Laurence brought new techniques and perspective home, where he elevated the wines to new heights. ‘Le Chêne Marchand’ is produced exclusively from high-elevation plots planted on ‘caillottes,’ or stony soil, prized in the region for offering a mineral complexity to the wines. All the Crochet holdings are organically farmed and hand harvested. The grapes are whole-bunch pressed followed by a long, cool fermentation and ageing on lees for 10 months. An impeccable food wine, ‘Le Chêne Marchand’ offers orange zest, and white flower blossom on the nose with a palate of citrus, hints of vanilla and chalky minerality.