Sauvignon blanc is among the world’s most widely planted grapes, but its origin is the Loire Valley. In the Loire, Sauvignon takes on a floral, mineral style, juicy grapefruit notes with a lively minerality, often notes of flint, and pleasant herbal finish.
“Oak is good… but wine is better.” That’s how one of our vignerons answered a question a few years ago about how he uses oak. We know what he means, and we still see too many winemakers fall into the trap of overoaking.
In recent years the Domaine de la Garenne’s terrific Sancerre cuvées have become among the best selling wines in our portfolio. Crisp, refreshing, and well priced, their pure, unoaked Sauvignon Blancs are a perfect accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.
The soils of Sancerre are famous for their flint. This unusual rock gives the region’s wines a note of smokiness and minerality -- a perfect foil for Sauvignon Blanc’s lush grapefruit notes. This unique balance has made Sancerre one of the world’s most popular wines.
Sauvignon blanc is among the world’s most widely planted grapes, but its origin is the Loire Valley. In the Loire, Sauvignon takes on a floral, mineral style, juicy grapefruit notes with a lively minerality, often notes of flint, and pleasant herbal finish.
The soils of Sancerre are famous for their flint. This unusual mineral gives the region’s wines a note of smokiness and stones -- a perfect foil for Sauvignon Blanc’s lush grapefruit notes. This unique balance has made Sancerre one of the world’s most popular wines.
At a perfect $5/glass, this wine has become hard to keep in stock -- we’ve just reupped (again). Garenne’s 2019 Sancerre is easy and delightful. It’s bone-dry with pure sauvignon grapefruit in the nose. In the mouth it’s lively but with no astringency or grassiness -- a warm vintage gave added weight but no less freshness. Look for minerals and…
Sancerre has no premier or grand cru classifications -- all 6400 acres are under the same appellation. But, as you might expect, not all of Sancerre’s terroirs are created equal. Among the most famous is the steep slopes of the Monts Damnées (damned mountains).
We love our Sancerre producer, Domaine de la Garenne. Their three Sancerre blanc cuvées are delightful: the crisp and fruity Sancerre 2019, the stony Sancerre “Bouffants” 2019, and the bracing, intense Sancerre “Infidèle.” They’re all Sauvignon Blanc at their most vibrant and delicious.
Our Burgundy focus means we write a lot about subtlety: the nuances of terroir, the intricacies of weather patterns, etc. But sometimes we like to drink wine that’s a bit simpler -- not boring or one-dimensional, just uncomplicated enjoyment.
Sancerre has no premier or grand cru classifications -- all 6400 acres are under the same appellation. But, as you might expect, not all of Sancerre’s terroirs are created equal. Among the most famous is the steep slopes of the Monts Damnées (damned mountains).
Sancerre has always been the star of the Loire Valley. Though recent years have seen more interest in the region’s other appellations, Sancerre remains the best known and among the best-liked. It’s popular, easy to drink, easy to pronounce, and pairs well with lots of dishes.
Sancerre has always been the star of the Loire Valley. Though recent years have seen interest rise in the region’s other appellations, Sancerre remains the best known and among the best-liked. It’s popular, easy to drink, easy to pronounce, and pairs well with lots of dishes.
"Oak is good… but wine is better.” That’s how one of our vignerons answered a question a few years ago about how he uses oak. We know what he means, and we still see too many winemakers fall into the trap of overoaking.
Our focus on Burgundy means we spend a lot of time talking about subtlety: the nuances of terroir, the intricacies of weather patterns, etc. But sometimes we like to drink wine that’s a bit simpler -- not boring or one-dimensional, just uncomplicated enjoyment in a glass.