Vincent Gaudry : Constellation du Scorpion 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for Vincent Gaudry’s Constellation du Scorpion 2023

Tasting

Appearance
The wine shows a pale hue with silvery highlights and fluid legs that testify to its richness.

Nose
The bouquet is initially restrained and delicate, not very expressive at first. With aeration, it gradually opens to notes of white pepper, fresh fragrances, and sage aromas that lend an elegant herbal dimension.

Palate
The attack reveals a creamy yet vibrant texture with a straight, focused profile. Mid-palate, a stony note characteristic of the flint terroir emerges, harmoniously oscillating between white fruit flavors reminiscent of pear and touches of sage. The finish is warmer, with luminous persistence and underlying power, expressing a harmonious, expressive Sauvignon.

Food and wine pairings

This Constellation du Scorpion 2023 pairs beautifully with shellfish, raw and marinated fish, as well as fish carpaccio. It is an ideal match for iodine-driven dishes, whether raw or cooked, notably seafood and open-sea oysters. Lightly seared shellfish, white fish in sauce enlivened with aromatic spices, white meats, and goat cheeses—both fresh and aged—also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

Constellation du Scorpion 2023 is best enjoyed at a serving temperature of 12°C to fully reveal its aromas and mineral structure. This wine can be appreciated through roughly 2028.

A biodynamic Sancerre reflecting its flint terroir

The estate

Established in 1993 when Vincent Gaudry took over the family estate and began its conversion to biodynamics, the eponymous domaine spans 11 hectares within the Sancerre appellation, in Sury-en-Vaux in the Loire. Vincent Gaudry, the current owner, primarily grows Sauvignon Blanc across three emblematic terroirs: silex (flint), terres blanches, and caillottes. Demeter-certified since 2004, this vigneron applies a minimalist philosophy guided by the principle “Trust in Nature.” His wines, from 40-year-old vines replanting through massal selection, embody what connoisseurs consider the most authentic expression of Sancerre.

The vineyard

The Constellation du Scorpion cuvée comes from 30-year-old vines rooted in Sancerre’s distinctive flint terroir. This particular soil imparts the wine’s signature minerality and remarkable tension, allowing Sauvignon Blanc to express all its purity and stony character, so typical of this prestigious appellation of the Loire.

Winemaking and aging

Hand harvesting. Fermentation takes place in wooden vats, allowing gentle contact with oak. Aging continues in wooden vats as well, bringing harmonious structure while preserving freshness and the mineral expression characteristic of the flint terroir.

Grape variety

100% Sauvignon Blanc, the emblematic grape of the Sancerre appellation, here revealing its full capacity for expression on flint terroir.