Domaine Antoine Sanzay New Releases!

A bit about the man..

When Antoine Sanzay joined the family domaine in 1999 he was the 6th generation to do so. Antoine’s journey into the wine world was not a typical smooth succession. Antoine had just turned 10 when, just as his grandfather was verging on retirement, his father tragically passed away.

While Antoine’s father was a wine lover, his grandfather was the opposite. Grape growing was his business, and by no means the most important to him. What mattered was to work the land for a living, with all the grapes sold to the local co-operative.

With no one to learn from, Antoine started everything from scratch with no mentor nor existing clients, pretty daunting right!

 “I didn’t have any inherited legacy or familial pressure.”

While having to rely on his wits, this gave great freedom to experiment. “I think it can be easier for the children to start with a new name than following their father’s legacy with all the baggage that can come with it” admitted Antoine. While he may have learned on his own, he got inspiration and support from many great Loire personalities, including Foucault (Clos Rougeart), Thierry Germain, Guy Bossard (Domaine L'ecu), Bernard Baudry, Jo Pithon (Le Soula) & Jo Landron (best moustache in the wine world, makes killer Muscadet also).

In 2002 Antoine made his first vintage...

Antoine slowly started switching to organic practices, away from the chemicals previously used by his grandfather. In 2007, Antoine started experimented in organic viticulture and he converted the vineyards in 2011 and became certified bio and Ecocert in 2014. 2014 was also his first vintage where he bottled his entire production and stopped selling to the local cooperative. 

Throughout the range there is stylistic continuity, with great tension, vibrant fruit harnessed to linear precision. The reds show a brilliantly judged balance between intense, brooding fruits, crisp tannic grip, and a lingering floral element mixed with lovely bite, these are proper Loire wines.

Sanzay 'La Paterne' 2022 Renamed Paterne from Cuvee this 2022 vintage is Antoine’s 'entry level' wine. If there is such a thing, what it is, is a a lovely, pure expression of this terroir. “things should taste of what they are”. And it demonstrates the level of quality achievable and why there’s so much interest in this Appellation now, buy lots, enjoy immensely. £36 per bottle (only 24 available)

Sanzay 'Les Salles Martin' 2021

Chenin Blanc, fruit sourced from a single vineyard, youngish vines, the wine is quite something, incredible mineral tension, ripe melon & mango fruits with a beautiful balance on the palate, beautiful Chenin, we always put 6 in the cellar..

£52 per bottle
(only 5 available)

Sanzay 'Les Poyeux' 2020

'As good as its gets, pure perfection' classic 'Les Poyeux'  Racy & lengthy Cab Franc that will reward cellaring but always one of my fav wines of the year.

£60 per bottle.
(only 6 available)

These are super rare and very sought after,so if Minimal intervention, cult following winemaking is your thing, it sure is ours! Then jump aboard!