Sancerre
| Sancerre | ||
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| region | Center-Val de Loire | |
| Department | Cher | |
| Arrondissement | Bourges | |
| Canton | Sancerre | |
| Community association | Pays Fort Sancerrois Val de Loire | |
| Coordinates | 47 ° 20 ′ N , 2 ° 50 ′ E | |
| height | 146-366 m | |
| surface | 16.27 km 2 | |
| Residents | 1,393 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 86 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 18300 | |
| INSEE code | 18241 | |
| Website | www.ville-sancerre.com | |
 Sancerre |
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Sancerre ( Latin Sacrum Caesaris , later Sincerra ) is a French commune with 1,393 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2017) in the Cher department in central France . Sancerre is about 150 m higher than the nearby Loire and the Loire Lateral Canal ( Canal latéral à la Loire ) on a hill and is therefore visible from afar. The place is about 40 km from the cities of Bourges and Nevers . The area around Sancerre is known for its cheese ( Crottin de Chavignol ) and wine.
history
In 1014, Sancerre and its surroundings came under the rule of Odo II , Count of Champagne, who exchanged it for his share in Beauvais from his brother Roger I, Bishop of Beauvais. The Counts of Blois and Champagne owned Sancerre except for Theobald II , who raised it to a county and gave it to his third son Stephan I in 1152 . Under the rule of Count Ludwig I of Sancerre, Count Theobald IV of Champagne sold the sovereignty over Sancerre to King Louis IX. from France. During the Huguenot Wars , Sancerre was a stronghold of Protestantism and was surrounded by the king's Catholic troops from 1572–73, but they were only able to take it after eight months of siege . In 1640 Sancerre came into the possession of Henri von Condé , whose descendants owned it until the French Revolution .
Population development
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2009 | 2016 |
| Residents | 2543 | 2461 | 2460 | 2139 | 2059 | 1799 | 1667 | 1409 |
| Sources: Cassini and INSEE | ||||||||
Viticulture in Sancerre
The place gives one of the most famous white wines of the Loire region (see also the article Val de Loire (IGP) ) its name Sancerre . Sancerre was declared on January 23, 1959 (adjustment on March 18, 1998) to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (abbreviated AOC ). The total of 2570 hectares are located west of the Loire. The vineyards are located in the middle of a hilly landscape at an altitude of 200 to 300 m above sea level. NN. Besides Sancerre, the communes of Cosne (the only commune east of the Loire), Sainte-Gemme, Sury-en Vaux, Verdigny, Chavignol, Ménetou-Ratel, Bué, Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Montigny, Veaugues, Vinon and Thauvenay are in the AOC Sancerre approved.
The floor can be divided into three zones. In the west (near Menetou-Salon ) are the Terres Blanches , the so-called white floors, which consist of a mixture of clay and limestone soil . The soil resembles that of the Chablis ; quite powerful wines are produced here. In the central part of the area there is heavily gravelly and calcareous soil, which produces fine wines. To the east, near Sancerre, the soil is rich in flint . The wines are very fragrant and long-lived.
The climate is continental. The winters are cold and the vineyards are very vulnerable to frost in the spring. Only the proximity of the Loire and the adjoining forest as well as the cultivation on steep slopes in favorable locations allow viticulture due to their mitigating influence.
Until the middle of the 20th century, mainly red wine and a little white wine were produced from the Chasselas grape variety . In the 1960s, only about 700 hectares of vineyards were cultivated. In the 1970s, the Sancerre became a fashion wine that was also often offered in bistros as a counterpart to the red Beaujolais . However, its great popularity resulted in much mediocre wine being produced. The situation has calmed down and the wines are generally of good quality, also thanks to improved cellar technology.
Today the wines are made from only two grape varieties:
- Sauvignon Blanc : In 2002, 126,100 hectoliters of white wine were made from this grape variety. The wines are usually ready for consumption when they are young, but can be stored for a few years.
- Pinot noir : makes a light red wine (also a small amount of rosé wine). In 2002, 32,710 hl of red wine (rosé wine) were produced. The wines can only be stored for a limited time.
Personalities
- Émile Regnault (1811–1863), doctor and author
- Jacques MacDonald (1765–1840), Duke of Taranto , Marshal of France
literature
- Le Patrimoine des Communes du Cher. Flohic Editions, Volume 2, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-84234-088-4 , pp. 890-898.
