Sancerre & Friends
According to The Oxford Companion to Wine, the origin of Sauvignon Blanc is "probably" the Loire Valley. More specifically, the Sancerrois in the eastern Loire Valley where a string of exceptional Sauvignon Blanc villages are situated starting with Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre, through Menetou-Salon and Quincy, ending with Reuilly. I would include Cheverny in this group, even though technically it is west of Orleans in the Touraine.
For those of you who love Sauvignon Blanc but are unfamiliar with the brisk, lively wines of these special growing regions, let's just say there is one spot that is currently the rage, and that is Sancerre. The Sauvignon Blancs of Sancerre are like no other in the world. They possess racy aromas and flavors that range from herbaceous to citrusy, with a similar minerality to that of Champagne due to similar limestone soils and its cool climate. They seem to have a special energy combined with depth not offered in most nearby Sauvignon Blanc regions. That is why they are hugely popular.
In recent years, Mother Nature has not been kind to Sancerre and other villages in this region, dowsing them with rain, hail and other maladies at inopportune times, so lower quantities of the stuff plus higher demand have resulted in a spike in Sancerre prices, sometimes approaching the $50 mark. Only few years ago, we could discover many quality Sancerres in the $25-$30 range.
The good news for consumers is that the neighboring Sauvignon Blanc villages, while they have experienced similar climate challenges, are relatively unknown to American wine lovers, thus comparatively less expensive than red-hot white Sancerres. (I must note here that Pinot Noir also grows in Sancerre, making terrific, minerally rosés and leaner, more angular red wines labeled Sancerre that also smack of the limestone soils, but this article is Sauvignon Blanc-centric for now.)
This hasn't always been the case. Across the Loire River from Sancerre is Pouilly-Fumé, which until the past 40 years was the king of Sauvignon Blanc. In 1948 while Julia Child was dining on sole meunière in La Couronne restaurant in Rouen (accompanied by oysters on the half-shell, a green salad, a fresh baguette and fromage blanc "the most exciting meal of my life"), the meal that made her decide she wanted to learn how to cook, the wine accompanying her fish was a chilled Pouilly-Fumé.
After World War II, there was a flood of migration to Paris from the impoverished farmlands all over the country. The sons and daughters of poor vignerons from Sancerre brought with them bottles of their families' wines and soon they became staples in the raw bars and bistros of the city. Sometime in the 1990s, an increasing amount of well-travelled Americans began to discover these wines abroad and ask for them after returning home.
But I've never seen anything like the fever-pitch we've seen in Sancerre demand in the past few years. And smart, budget-conscious wine consumers are finally re-discovering the flinty whites of Pouilly-Fumé, the rounder Sauvignon Blancs of Menetou-Salon, the sprightly wines of Quincy, the satisfying whites of Reuilly and the exciting whites of Cheverny, the latter permitting a splash of Chardonnay to help flesh out their wines.
Read Kermit Lynch rep Allyson Norman's recollection of her first Cheverny:
"At twenty-three, I was given the opportunity to build the wine list at a bustling French seafood restaurant in Brooklyn. I had fallen in love with the menu the first time I'd dined there: fresh East and West Coast oysters, moules marinières, daily fish specials like seared sea scallops with fennel and grapefruit salad, whole roasted branzino... It was here I tasted my first Cheverny, a Loire white rife with herbs, citrus, and minerality—a perfect pairing for briny treats from the sea, often tempered by rich European butter. Naturally, the bottle promptly became a crowd (and staff) favorite."
Of course, the food items she mentions cry out for all the wines I've just been introducing from Pouilly-Fumé all the way to Reuilly, and especially Sancerre. For those who just want to enjoy a glass of refreshing white wine, these all make fine aperitifs as well. The Oxford Guide helps us understand why: "Sauvignon cautiously cultivated in the central vineyards of the Loire, unmasked by oak, can reach the dry white apogee of Sauvignon fruit with some of the purest, most refreshingly zesty wines in the world."
These wines—Sancerre and Friends—are not only an antidote to heavy reds and whites, they provide thrills and excitement in patios and dinner tables whenever uncorked. I promise, if you are inclined to dabble with the electric wines of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly and Cheverny, you will discover some of the most satisfying and enervating wines you've ever experienced.
Here Are Some of My Favorites
Henri Bourgeois 2025 "Pure" Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley $15.99
This sassy, handsome Loire Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Sancerre icon Henri Bourgeois. This is an incredible bargain, outperforming Sancerres at twice the price. We've heard overwhelmingly positive feedback about it as August's Wine of the Month.
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Delaille 2025 Cheverny "Domaine du Salvard" $21.99
When Kermit Lynch introduced this wine in July 1993, he said, "Salvard makes the most drinkable, quaffable Sauvignon Blanc I have ever tasted." This cheerful Sauvignon Blanc from France's eastern Touraine has here for most of our store's entire history. 15% Chardonnay rounds out the wine without taking away any Sauvignon Blanc character.
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Sylvain Bailly 2024 Quincy "Beaucharme" $21.99
A bit lighter in body and concentration, but still possessing a lively personality, the first thing the wine delivers is an aroma with floral notes. Light to medium in body, it is almost steely at this point, with an electric finish.
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Domaine de Reuilly 2025 Reuilly "Les Pierres Plates" $23.99
What really shines through are the soil's chalky, stony, and slightly saline imprints, making it an utterly mouthwatering white wine. Les Pierres Plates is a no-brainer with anything from the ocean, especially raw oysters, grilled white fish atop a bed of sautéed greens, and pasta with clams.
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Chollet 2025 Pouilly-Fumé $27.99
The brother-sister Chollets have created a fabulous Sauvignon here with a gorgeous aroma, delicious fruit all throughout, bracing acidity and a moderately steely finish. Right across the Loire River from the Sancerre region.
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Nicolas Gaudry 2024 Pouilly-Fumé "Les Champs de Cri" $31.99
Nicolas Gaudry is a small estate producing a delightful Sauvignon Blanc from old vines averaging 70+ years of age. There is a hint of honeysuckle in the aroma followed by gorgeous flavors of fresh grapefruit and a little flint. A forward, generous wine with a little citrus pith in the finish.
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Chateau de Tracy 2023 Pouilly-Fumé $46.99
Chateau de Tracy is one of the monumental producers of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, and when we can acquire any, there is great excitement at The Wine Country. "The mouth is fresh, salivating. Very elegant length on exotic fruit."
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Sylvain Bailly 2025 Sancerre "Terroirs" $31.99
We've offered Sylvain Bailly's Sancerre for over 25 vintages. This is a classic styled Sancerre from Bailly's vineyards in and around the village of Bué, one of the greatest villages in the appellation. This wine is jammed full with minerals, citrus and rich, melon fruit. It will sing with most anything you pair with it especially goat cheese or shellfish.
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Domaine des Vieux Pruniers 2025 Sancerre $31.99
Delicate mineral notes of chalk and slate with good citrus and melon in the nose. Firm acidity braces this wine so that it will marry well with fish, shellfish and goat cheese. Fairly rich in the middle, with a nice snap.
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Vacheron 2025 Sancerre Blanc $49.99
There is something special here. From hillside vineyards with chalk and flint, the wine offers aromas of grapefruit zest and gunflint. Flavors of lemons and limes, sea salt and crisp pears are just waiting for salads with goat cheese, oysters or other fresh shellfish.
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Join us for our Saturday Wine Tasting
"Sancerre & Friends"
1-4 p.m. • Saturday August 29 • $30 per person
No Reservations Needed