In a Wine Spectator feature by Kristen Bieler on the Loire Valley, Bieler highlights the remarkable diversity and quality of wines emerging from the region. Among the standout producers, she includes Domaine Hubert Brochard, known for its dedication to terroir-driven Sauvignon Blancs. Bieler spoke with Brochard’s winemaker Rodrigo Zamorano, who shared insights into the philosophy and meticulous approach behind their wines.
During their conversation, Zamorano emphasized Domaine Hubert Brochard’s commitment to showcasing the unique soils of the Loire, particularly in the Sancerre appellation. He explained how the region’s silex (flint) soils bring out vibrant minerality and precision in their wines. The Château de Fontaine-Audon Terres de Silex 2023 from Domaine Hubert Brochard particularly impressed Bieler, receiving a notable score of 92 points. She described it as one of her top recommendations from the Loire Valley, praising its fresh acidity, complex minerality, and elegant structure.
This impressive rating underscores Brochard’s success in capturing the Loire’s terroir and producing a wine that is both expressive and refined—qualities that Zamorano believes are essential to the estate’s legacy.
The story also highlights quotes from Loire all-star Florent Baumard of Domaines des Baumard and the estate’s famed Clos du Papillon Savennieres.
Read the full story attached or at the link HERE
Baumard + Hubert Brochard + Bollinger Back Page _Wine Spectator_11.30.24Related Wines
Domaine Hubert Brochard
Domaine Hubert Brochard Sancerre Château de Fontaine-Audon
Loire Valley, France
This Sauvignon comes from vineyards surrounding the beautiful Chateau de Fontaine Audon in the north of the Appellation. It is on flinty (silex) soil. The vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks with controlled temperature in order to keep all the fine aromas of Sauvignon. This flinty terroir yields a very mineral, fine and precise Sancerre.
Domaine des Baumard
Domaine des Baumard Savennières Clos du Papillon 2019
Savennieres
If Savennières produces some of the most compelling dry white wines in the world, the Clos du Papillon plot within Savennières , so named for its butterfly shape, concentrates and magnifies all the characteristics of this small, distinct appellation. Baumard is the largest owner of this vineyard, with the best holdings, and the wines display a captivating combination of ripe orchard fruit, floral, and mineral notes, within a structure able to age decades.
Related Producers
Domaine Hubert Brochard
Loire Valley, France
Since its creation in 1900, Hubert Brochard has been committed to producing wines representative of the diversity of the Sancerre terroirs. It is this richness of the land, the plurality of styles and personalities, the meeting of cultures and know-how that allows one to (re)discover the subtleties of this appellation. The Brochard team is led by esteemed winemaker Rodrigo Zamorano with a precise target: to showcase the unique individuality of Sancerre Terroirs.
Domaine des Baumard
Loire Valley, France
Consistently recognized for producing some of the most extraordinary dry white wines in the Loire and in France, Domaine des Baumard has been under the ownership of the same family for nearly 400 years. Winemaker Florent Baumard runs the estate with meticulous care, crafting extraordinary wines that bely his soft-spoken, gentle manner. Baumard produces a range of styles, though the domaine is most famous for its stunning sweet wines from the storied Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru.