Sancerre
A hilltop Loire town famed for crisp, flinty Sauvignon Blanc and its Chavignol goat-cheese pairing.
About Sancerre
Sancerre sits atop a steep, isolated hill above the upper reaches of the Loire, its medieval old town commanding wide views over the surrounding vineyards. Fortified in the Middle Ages — the Counts of Champagne took control around 1152, and the Tour des Fiefs survives from the old château — the town is best known today for its wine. Sauvignon Blanc grown on the area's limestone (terres blanches), clay-limestone and flinty (silex) soils yields the crisp, aromatic, mineral whites that made Sancerre a benchmark, while Pinot Noir accounts for lighter reds and rosés. Just downhill lies the hamlet of Chavignol, home to the small Crottin goat cheese that is the region's classic table match. The town's steep lanes are lined with cellars and wine bars, and the viewpoints over the Loire valley make it one of the loveliest stops on the river's wine route.
Practical details
Wine tourism notes
Sancerre crowns a steep hill above the upper Loire, its old town looking out over a patchwork of Sauvignon Blanc vineyards on limestone and flint soils. The village of Chavignol just below is famous for its Crottin goat cheese, the region's signature pairing; the town's cellars pour both the crisp whites and the lighter Pinot Noir reds and rosés.
Regional cuisine
Loire cooking built for crisp Sauvignon Blanc: Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese (the classic local match), river fish, poultry from Berry, and lentils from nearby Berry.
Canonical attractions
- Hilltop old town and Tour des Fiefs
- Panoramic viewpoints over the Loire valley
- Vineyard slopes around Chavignol
- Wine cellars and tasting rooms
- Nearby Loire riverfront
Editorial notes
The old town is steep and walkable; pair a tasting with a wedge of Crottin de Chavignol, and drive down to the vineyard villages for cellar-door visits.