Domaine Edmond Vatan

The Vatan family acquired the land that would become Clos La Néore in 1789, and thirteen generations later it remains under their ownership. Robert Vatan established the modern estate in the early 20th century. Edmond Vatan took charge in 1959 and replanted the vineyard in the 1960s, setting the foundation for what the domaine is today. In 2008, his daughter Anne Vatan, who had previously worked as an archaeologist, assumed responsibility for production and has guided the estate ever since.

• Land in family ownership continuously since 1789
• Edmond Vatan took charge in 1959 and replanted in the 1960s
• Anne Vatan transitioned from archaeology to winemaking in 2008
• Thirteen generations of unbroken family stewardship

The estate produces wine exclusively from Clos La Néore, a single-hectare monopole parcel within the celebrated Les Monts Damnés hillside in Chavignol, in the Cher department of the Loire Valley. The vineyard sits on steep slopes with a south to south-southeast exposure, providing optimal ripening conditions in Sancerre's continental climate. Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone and marl rich in fossilized shells, known locally as terres blanches (white earth). This combination of slope, aspect, and ancient marine sediment defines the wine's signature mineral character.

• Sited on Chavignol's Les Monts Damnés, a benchmark Sancerre hillside
• Soils are Kimmeridgian limestone and marl, locally called terres blanches
• Steep slope with south to south-southeast exposure
• Continental climate with warm, sun-exposed ripening conditions

The domaine practices organic viticulture with minimal use of synthetic inputs. Vines are 40-50 years old, and low vigor combined with meticulous canopy management keeps yields at just 35-40 hectoliters per hectare. These ultra-low yields concentrate flavor and contribute to the wine's complexity and longevity.

• Organic viticulture with minimal synthetic inputs
• Vines average 40-50 years old
• Yields of 35-40 hectoliters per hectare, well below appellation norms
• Single grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Winemaking at Domaine Vatan is resolutely traditional and interventionist as little as possible. Fermentation is spontaneous, relying on indigenous yeasts, and takes place in 600-liter neutral oak barrels. The wine ages until the end of the following spring, undergoing two to three rackings during that time. Bottling takes place in May, timed to coincide with ideal barometric pressure. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined with minimal sulfur additions. Since 2018, all production has been bottled exclusively in magnum format.

• Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts in 600-liter neutral oak
• Aged until end of the following spring with 2-3 rackings
• Bottled unfiltered, unfined, with minimal sulfur
• Bottled exclusively in magnum format since 2018

With only around 4,000 bottles produced per year from a single hectare, Clos La Néore is among the most limited and coveted white wines in the world. Access is allocation-only, and the wine rarely appears on retail shelves. It is widely regarded as one of the world's most expensive and sought-after expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, a benchmark for what the Chavignol terroir and long-lived, mineral-driven winemaking can achieve.

• Approximately 4,000 bottles produced annually
• Available on allocation only, with minimal public access
• Consistently cited as one of the world's great Sauvignon Blancs
• Magnums-only bottling since 2018 further restricts availability