DOMAINE LA CLEF DU RÉCIT
Récy, France
The Girard family has been in the Loire Valley for many years, having taken over Domaine des Brosses in Sancerre in the 1970's. Anthony Girard, however, decided to strike out on his own, traveling the world to gain an appreciation and understanding of the entire breadth of winemaking. His travels took led him to stints at Ogier and Villard in the Rhône Valley, then onward to South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, and even Hungary. When he was ready to start his own Domaine back home in the Loire, he was able to bring youthful energy along with his fresh perspective and significant experience to bear.
In 2012, Anthony purchased about 9 hectares of 40-year-old Sauvignon Blanc in the commune of Récy, on the southern end of Sancerre. Here on Sancerre's quintessential clay-limestone, kimmeridgian, and flint soils, he is producing truly typicite wines of substance and varietal accuracy, albeit with a bit of a modern flare. He uses no herbicides in the vineyards and uses organic fertilizer: la lutte raisonnée in stark relief. Depending on what the vintage gives him, he either uses cover crops or in-row tillage to encourage biodiversity.
Anthony embraces technology in a pragmatic manner. He uses a pneumatic press, but with mindful gentleness. He ferments in both stainless steel and enamel tanks, and where necessary he does some bâtonnage to impart suppleness of weight. Two thirds of the yeast is indigenous, and the remainder is selected. Using similar techniques, he also produces bottlings of Quincy and Menetou-Salon.
The results speak for themselves: quality, precise iterations of classical appellations with just a twist of modernity.
Wines
Domaine La Clef du Récit Sancerre
Domaine La Clef du Récit Quincy
Domaine La Clef du Récit Menetou-Salon