2022 Domaine Paul Prieur Sancerre Rouge "Grains de Pinot"

The 2022 Sancerre Rouge “Grains de Pinot” from Domaine Paul Prieur et Fils in Sancerre AOC presents a focused, elegant expression of Pinot Noir shaped by the warm conditions of the vintage. The wine shows a bright ruby color with moderate intensity. The nose is fresh and expressive, offering redolent red fruits like red cherry, raspberry, and red plum, alongside light rose petal floral notes and subtle earthy undertones. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with fresh but balanced acidity and fine, integrated tannins. 

16.5 / 20, Jancis Robinson. 30% whole bunch. Same grapes as Vinification en Grappes Entières but different vinification. Usually contains 15% press wine. Intense nose of wild berries. Structured and a little raw. Racy and still youthful and with a little tannin. Slightly sudden end. (JR)

"The 2022 Grains de Pinot is a richly textured yet elegant mid-weight wine. It's delightfully aromatic with pure damson fruit, florals and wild herbs (this cuvée is mostly destemmed, but a proportion of whole bunches adds cola, cinnamon and dried herbs). It has surprising freshness for a warm, dry vintage. The clay-chalk soils on this 5ha parcel next to the winery provide an amplitude without weight, with chalky tannins and a long, drawn-out finish. The 2022 is quite moreish, and while young, it's delicious and has the substance to age." - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous Media

Domaine Paul Prieur et Fils is a family-owned estate in Sancerre AOC with eleven generations of viticultural history, now led by Luc Prieur, whose Burgundian training informs a parcel-focused, terroir-driven approach. The 19-hectare estate is planted primarily to Sauvignon Blanc with smaller holdings of Pinot Noir across limestone and clay soils, supporting a range of site expressions. Certified organic since 2022 and incorporating biodynamic practices, the domaine emphasizes low-intervention farming and cellar work, including native fermentations, no added sulfur during vinification, and aging in neutral vessels. The resulting wines show clear typicity, with whites defined by citrus, acidity, and mineral structure, and reds by freshness and restrained extraction, reflecting both regional identity and a contemporary, minimal-intervention philosophy.