Domaine Roc de l'Abbaye `Tradition`, `Tradition` Sancerre

Domaine Roc de l’Abbaye by Florian Mollet is one of few Sancerre estates planted entirely on flint soils. Known as ‘silex’, this soil type represents just 15% of the appellation and produces taught, precise wines with an expressive gunflint aroma.

The history of Domaine Roc de l’Abbaye dates back to the 15th century when the local Abbey identified four hectares of silex soil and named them Domaine du Clos du Roc. This remarkable site became part of the domaine in 1973, through the marriage of Jean-Paul Mollet and Rosie-Marie Maudry (whose family owned the plot), who combined their family estates to create Domaine Roc de L’Abbaye.

Their son Florian Mollet, who honed his craft in Australia and South Africa, now manages the 17.5-hectare estate, which includes 11.5 hectares in Sancerre, across twelve parcels planted on silex soils, and six hectares in Pouilly-Fumé. The vineyards achieved sustainable certification in April 2022. Each parcel is fermented separately to allow for greater flexibility in blending, alongside achieving a better understanding of each site. The grapes are harvested by hand or machine, depending on the parcel, before receiving a gentle pressing before fermentation in stainless-steel tanks for three weeks. The final wines spend six months on their fine lees, with weekly bâttonage, before being bottled the following spring.

Both Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc IGP and ‘Tradition’ Touraine Sauvignon Blanc are the product of long-term grower partnerships. Val de Loire is sourced from 10- to 25-year-old vines, while ‘Tradition’ Touraine hails from 10- to 20-year-old vines, all of which are grown on clay and limestone soils to produce fresh, energetic wines with vibrant citrus notes and bright acidity.

The ‘Tradition’ Sancerre is sourced from 15 – 25-year-old vines within the domaine’s silex vineyards, offering an intense, mineral expression with a core of delicate citrus and stone fruits. Florian created the ‘L’Antique’ range to compare the different expressions of the silex soils in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Both expressions use the estate's oldest vines, with a percentage of each wine aged for ten months in used oak 228 litre barrels. Rich and elegant, the ‘L’Antique’ Sancerre displays a remarkable depth of ripe citrus and yellow plum fruit balanced by expressive acidity. The ‘L’Antique’ Pouilly-Fumé has a more pronounced floral nose but with a similar intensity of fruit, notably white peach and ripe lemon, and remarkable length.

`Tradition`