Xavier Roger’s roots were firmly in the vineyards of Sancerre in the Loire Valley. Son of Jean-Max Roger whose 34ha domaine in the village of Bué, just south-west of town of Sancerre, is renowned for its production of high quality, Sancerre, Menetou-Salon and Pouilly Fumé. However three is a crowd, and with his brothers Thibault and Etienne working at the family domaine, Xavier set out on his own and made his own way.
After attending winemaking school in Burgundy followed by three years of viticulture training at the agronomy school in Montpelier, Xavier spent t...
Joanna Simon, Wine of the Week, July 2025: "Gewurztraminer seldom makes it as Wine of the Week, not because I don’t like it – I do – but because it’s a difficult grape variety to get right, especially at a moderate price. All the more reason, then, for choosing Le Chant des Roses Gewurztraminer at its very moderate price...The 2024 is an A* example of this aromatic variety: dry, refreshing and light on its feet, with classic Gewurztraminer lychee, rose and lokum perfume and mouthwatering lime-zest vibrancy...Le Chant des Roses is all the more impressive because it comes from Languedoc, way south of Gewurtraminer’s heartland in Alsace. It’s here in the Pays d'Oc that Xavier Roger goes all out to preserve the aromas and freshness of the night-harvested grapes, vinifying the juice at low temperature and ageing the wine on its fine lees for three months to enhance the texture. It makes a reviving aperitif, but can also be paired with food: South East Asian spices (not searingly hot), gazpacho, tomato salads and salsas, petits pois and Little Gem quarters stewed in butter and mint, onion tart (with/without cheese), anchovy-stuffed olives, seafood dishes such as prawn canalones (or cannelloni), and spicy chicken salads." Wine Merchant Magazine, 2025: ‘Classic lychee and rose petal aromas on the nose lead to a bright, refreshing and minerally palate. The finish is crisp and dry’.
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