# Château de Fontaine-Audon 'Terres de Silex' Sancerre Blanc (2025)

- **Producer:** Domaine Hubert Brochard
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sauvignon Blanc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €29
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** pineapple, passion fruit, lemon, grapefruit, lime, grass, cream

## About this wine

Domaine Hubert Brochard, founded in Chavignol in 1900, is a historic Loire Valley estate. In 2022, the estate was acquired by the Bollinger family group, who retained the founding family's expertise while introducing modern precision. The Château de Fontaine-Audon cuvée is unique as it is the only château in Sancerre built directly on Terres de Silex (flint soils). These south-facing slopes in northern Sancerre yield grapes with exceptional ripeness and a signature smoky, flinty character.

## Interesting facts

- Château de Fontaine-Audon is the only château in the Sancerre region built directly on flint (silex) soils.
- A small portion (10%) of this cuvée is aged in terracotta amphorae to add texture without imparting oak flavors.
- The estate is undergoing organic conversion, aiming for 100% organic certification by 2030.

## Food pairing

This high-acid, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blanc cuts beautifully through the richness of fatty fish and pairs naturally with the briny, delicate flavors of raw shellfish. Its vibrant acidity also acts as a perfect foil to the creamy, tangy profile of regional goat cheeses like Crottin de Chavignol, balancing the palate.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process, led by winemaker Rodrigo Zamorano, focuses on preserving fresh primary aromas. Grapes are harvested at peak maturity and gently pressed using pneumatic gravity presses without destemming to prevent oxygen exposure. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The wine is aged on its fine lees for over six months, with approximately 10% of the blend aged in terracotta amphorae to introduce gentle micro-oxygenation and texture without oak influence.