Since 1991, Vincent Gaudry has been handcrafting essential, soulful wines with a profound connectedness to the land and to the collective lineage of vignerons past. At just 16, he joined his father in running the estate established by his grandfather in the tiny hamlet of Chambre, near Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre. Today, Gaudry’s wines are among the most authentic, artisanal, and limited of the region.
A true minimalist whose guiding principle is “Trust in Nature,” Vincent began converting to organic farming in 1995, obtaining certification in 2002. He developed a deep appreciation for the balance that a biodynamic philosophy brings to his 11ha of vineyards, becoming the first producer in Sancerre with a Demeter certification in 2004. The vineyards, the forests, and their animal inhabitants work in harmony, and that harmony is felt in the wine.
Appropriately named after Vincent’s astrological sign, ‘Constellation du Scorpion’ is a limited, top cuvée made from the lieu-dit ‘Les Bouloises’ in Saint-Satur, a perfect south-west exposed slope just under the woods, planted in dense, heavy, ferrous Silex soils. Near the top of that slope are boulders of red silex, with fist-sized rocks in the center of the vineyard and smaller pieces at the bottom of the slope. It is truly one of the most rocky and incredible parcels in Sancerre—very difficult to work amongst the boulders. The parcel is an average of 30 years old, planted from a massale selection of old sauvignon blanc clones from Vincent’s Melodie Vieilles Vignes vineyard.
This wine is an outstanding Sancerre, showing notes of flinty smoke, white flowers, with mint and basil along with bright citrus fruits. On the palate, the salty minerality takes center stage, with outstanding acidity, structure, and body. The silex seems to bring more tension here, deeply textured with bright, flinty undertones. The extremely low yields of this vineyard are on display in Constellation du Scorpion’s exceptionally long finish. It is a superb food wine that will improve in bottle for several years. Constellation du Scorpion is made in very limited quantities.
Region
Loire Valley
Appellation
Sancerre
Commune
Saint-Satur
Lieu-dit
Les Bouloises (SW exposure)
Grapes
100% Sauvignon Blanc (planted from old massale selection)
Vine Age
30+ years old
Soil
Ferrous silex over limestone
Fermentation
Spontaneously fermented with natural yeasts in a single 60hL used French oak foudre
Aging
18 months on the lees in the same foudre without bâtonnage before being bottled according to the lunar calendar
MLF
Spontaneous
Farming
Certified organic (Ecocert), Certified Biodynamic (Demeter)
Fining/Filtration
None
Vegan
Yes
ABV
12.5%
Suggested Retail
$84.00 (12x750mL)