Sancerre

Sancerre sits on a conical hill above the upper Loire, and the wine that carries its name is Sauvignon Blanc grown on three soil types around it: limestone caillottes, clay-limestone terres blanches and flint, which is the one producing the gunflint note tasters describe. Reds and roses from Pinot Noir are made in smaller quantity. Across the valley the village of Chavignol gives its name to Crottin de Chavignol, a small goat cheese, and the pairing of the two is the local ritual. The medieval village is steep and narrow with a surviving tower, the Tour des Fiefs, giving a view over the vineyard slopes to the river.

What you actually see

• The vineyard slopes - three distinct soils in a bowl around the hill.
• The Tour des Fiefs - the surviving keep with a view over the Loire.
• Chavignol - the goat cheese village across the valley.
• The village lanes - steep streets, cellars and tasting rooms.

When to go

May to October; harvest is usually September and cellars are busy then. Tasting rooms keep long lunch closures. Autumn colour on the slopes is good.

Honest expectations

The village is small and given largely to wine shops and restaurants. Streets are steep and parking is outside. Tasting appointments at smaller domaines need arranging ahead.

Nearby

Chavignol is a short drive; Bourges lies southwest.