One of the thrills of living in Beaune throughout 2012 was getting familiar with an enormous range of Burgundy's producers. Beaune had its fair share of wine bars that we'd frequent almost nightly as a group. However, none of these bars devoted serious space to wines outside of the region. That all changed when the natural-focused Les Vins de Maurice opened in the spring. Wines from the Jura, Rhone, and Loire Valley covered the walls.

One day I asked Maurice to introduce me to a producer that was doing something out of the ordinary, and he quickly picked up a bottle of Vincent Pinard's Sancerre. Since that day, I've been on the hunt in the US, but availability is always very slim, at best.

I was lucky to receive small quantities from a favorite source this week. And, when this small importer of Mugnier, Comte Liger-Belair, and Lafarge takes an interest in Sancerre, it's time to pay very close attention.

Today, I'm happy to offer the full lineup from my favorite secret domaine of Sancerre, Vincent Pinard.

Vincent Pinard is located in Bué, a village that, along with Chavignol, has some of the most prized vineyards in the region. Pinard's wines can best be described as overtly stylish, with each cuvée standing drastically apart from one another. They have intense concentration and a gossamer texture that bears little resemblance to what we commonly expect from Sancerre.

There's a grandeur to this seriously defined structure that reminds me much more of those sensibilities found in Burgundy. When I've found Meursault and Puligny lovers who shy away from Loire Sauvignon Blanc, it's Pinard who ends up reverberating with them.

All parcels sit on a bedrock of limestone covered with the famous caillottes pebbles on the surface.

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Florès comes from a collection of vineyards in Bué. Aged in 2/3 stainless steel tanks and 1/3 wooden vats.

Chêne Marchand is comprised of 100% Oxfordian Limestone. Pinard's farm 4 separate parcels: two east facing, two south-facing, with an average vine age of 60 years old. Only 15 growers farm here, and rarely is the single vineyard seen on labels.

Petit Chemarin is the coldest vineyard in the range and always last to be picked. The top is Kimmeridgian soil, but the bedrock of Oxfordian Limestone is just 20 centimeters below the surface. Vines were planted in 1968.

Grand Chemarin is full south facing and exposed to the sun. This terroir has the nickname "moulin à vent" or windmill as it's constantly windy. This exposure and the nearly all Oxfordian Limestone are what gives this wine its character.

Le Chateau is sourced from 45-year-old vines, planted full south in Kimmeridgian limestone. A large slope to the west protects the vines from the late afternoon sun.

PINOT NOIR

Charlouise is densely planted at 7,000 vines per hectare on clay and limestone over Oxfordian limestone bedrock. 100% de-stemmed. Aging in 1/3 new demi-muids, 1/3 two and three-year-old demi-muids, and 1/3 wood vat.

Vendange Entières is sourced from 40-yr-old vines in La Pèlerine. Aging takes place in large barrels, up to 25% new. As the name indicates, this is 100% whole cluster fermented Pinot Noir.