Description

Tasting Note

A classic Sancerre with ripe grapefruit fruit and a steely, mineral finish. Great with oysters or goat cheese.

Grape

Sauvignon Blanc is a white variety that came originally from Bordeaux, but is now grown all over the world. Today key areas are the Loire where it produces grassy, mineral, smoky wines and Marlborough where it makes exotic elderflower and gooseberry scented wines. Acidity is always high and body medium. It is also an important components in Sauternes where it is blended with Sémillon.

Producer

Henri Bourgeois is one of those producers that any wine region would be lucky to have. They combine size and quality, which is important, because it means there’s a reasonable amount of wine to go round. Things started small here: this family-owned domaine was founded with 2 hectares in 1935, plus some polyculture. Now it has 70 hectares of vines (64 in Sancerre and 6 in neighbouring Pouilly-Fume), plus a winery in New Zealand (Clos Henri, with 45 hectares in Marlborough).

Region

Sancerre is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the eastern part of the Loire valley, southeast of Orléans. Almost all of the appellation lies on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé. It is famous for making some of the world’s finest Sauvignon Blanc which is richer and rounder than the wines of Pouilly-Fumé across the river. Sancerre also makes some very light reds and rosé wines from Pinot Noir which accounts for less than 30% of production.

Food Pairing

Sancerre with restrained citrus and gooseberry fruit and high acidity extremely food friendly and works with shellfish, fish, smoked fish and is especially good with creamy goat cheese. Also surprisingly good with curries.