Château de Lestang: Sancerre Rooted in Terroir & Craft
During a recent visit from Lavinia, Château de Lestang unveiled its vision of a modern, terroir-driven Sancerre. Nestled in the Loire Valley and revived in 2013, this historic vineyard—first documented in 1453—crafts exceptional Sauvignon Blancs shaped by its 100% flint soils and sustainable philosophy.
With minimal intervention, natural farming, and careful cellar work, each vintage captures the essence of the year. The estate’s two signature cuvées express this purity: Tradition, vinified in stainless steel for freshness and minerality, and Illustre Voyageur, oak-aged for complexity and depth.
Beyond wine, Lestang celebrates biodiversity and art, with over 130 tree species on the estate and labels designed by artist Michael McGregor. A symbol of Loire excellence, Lestang 1573 wines are now available exclusively online via Lavinia.
A Historic Vineyard, Revived for the Present
Last April, we welcomed the Lavinia team—our exclusive online retailer—at Château de Lestang. This immersive visit was a chance to share our story, our philosophy, and the technical precision that guides our work. A rich encounter that shone a light on what shapes our Sancerre wines: the terroir, the hands-on work in the vineyard and cellar, and the passion of an entire team.
The history of Château de Lestang dates back to the 15th century, with the parcel En Fricambault first mentioned in 1453. In the 19th century, Hyde de Neuville—a prominent politician and friend of Chateaubriand—expanded the estate to 40 hectares. After a pause in 1928, the estate was brought back to life in 2013.
With Lestang 1573, we chose to create a brand of exceptional Sancerre, crafted for gastronomy and fine dining, where each cuvée reflects both tradition and a contemporary vision.
Our Viticultural Philosophy: Letting the Terroir Speak
We believe that wine should be a sincere expression of its terroir. Every vintage is like a photograph of the year’s climate—its heat, rain, and freshness. Rather than adjusting or standardizing, we aim to support the wine in expressing its true identity.
In the vineyard, this means natural farming without chemicals, favoring manual work and biodiversity. In the cellar, it’s the same philosophy: guide the wine, add nothing.
« We try to intervene as little as possible and let nature take its course. We don’t add acidifiers, for example. If it’s a sunny year like 2022, we work with what we have. We still manage to retain acidity. Most of the work is done upstream, in the vineyard. Good vineyard work, balanced ripeness, gentle pressing and careful fermentation—and the wine almost makes itself. In the end, 80% of the work happens in the field. That’s what our cuvées express: the purity of the terroir and the vintage. »
Two Signature Cuvées That Reflect Our Identity
Two cuvées embody this philosophy:
- Tradition: aged in stainless steel tanks, it reveals the Sauvignon’s crystalline purity and the flinty minerality of our soils.
- Illustre Voyageur: from old vines and aged in oak barrels, produced in limited quantities (1,500 bottles), it captures complexity and rarity.
« Tradition 2021 is completely the opposite of 2022. Since we don’t manipulate the wine, you can clearly see the difference. The 2021 vintage is very typical of Sancerre in the 1990s—mineral, sometimes smoky, gunflint-like, depending on the tasting day. And even without the Sauvignon’s vegetal side, we get a high-quality wine from 2021. »
« The vineyard plot is straightforward: 3 hectares, vinified at the château. Same soil, same exposure. Only the planting years differ: 1.5 hectares of old vines, and 1.5 planted between 2016 and 2021. During pressing, we select the best juice from the old vines to be barrel-aged. The difference comes from both the old-vine selection and the change in winemaking method. The 2022 vintage is rich and voluminous, almost reminiscent of Burgundy Chardonnays—but only with alcoholic fermentation, no malolactic. We don’t chase malo in Sancerre, to keep the freshness.»
« Production is extremely limited: 1,500 bottles for Illustre Voyageur, out of a total 25,000 bottles. Our goal is to bring volume and complexity with oak, without over-oaking. That’s why we’re moving towards tronconic vats, which leave less oak imprint. »
A Natural and Cultural Heritage
Our estate is shaped not only by its vines but also by its exceptional natural environment—such as the cedar of Lebanon planted in 1836, still standing proudly in front of the château, a living witness to nearly two centuries of history.
We also preserve a unique arboricultural biodiversity, with more than 136 tree species identified on the estate. This living heritage forms a rich ecosystem that’s essential to the natural balance of our vineyards and the quality of our wines.
This bond with nature extends into a cultural dimension. We’ve opened our cellar to contemporary artists—Matthias Kiss, Laurent Dufour, Jade Fenu, Victor Cadène… For Illustre Voyageur, each vintage label is designed by American artist Michael McGregor, giving the wine a singular visual identity.
Conclusion: Discover Our Sancerre Exclusively at Lavinia
Ours is a collective journey: Rémy brings the vision, Célestin the technical excellence, and the entire team is involved, from vineyard to cellar, to give life to each cuvée.
Every wine we make is a snapshot of the year and of what happened in the vines. It’s this authenticity—rooted in terroir and elevated by artisanal craft—that won over Lavinia.
Today, our cuvées are available exclusively online through this trusted partner, renowned for their expertise and high standards.