Nick’s preparing for summer, perhaps prematurely, with a fresh and spicy Sauvignon Blanc
After closing the issue and with the recent spate of sunshine, in London anyways, I thought red wine, be damned! As much as I love red wine and drink it year round, there are times when I simply long for a nice, cold and crisp glass of white, especially if it’s in the lunching hours – it just feels a bit less serious somehow. I personally like my white wines to have something to them, I want to drink something I can actually taste (I’m looking at you Pinot Grigio). So with that and the sun in mind, I decided to plump for a good old-fashioned Sauvignon Blanc, with Domaine Serge Laloue’s Sancerre.
For those of you who think there’s a difference between Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc, I’m here to set the record straight: Sancerre is a region and Sauvignon Blanc is a grape variety. Domaine Serge Laloue is located in Thauvenay in central France, in the department of Cher (I wonder what she has to say about that?) The vineyard is operated by Franck Laloue and his sister, Christine, after being setup by their father, Serge. The iron rich and sandy soil of the region, coupled with the vineyard’s location at the bottom of the mountainous slopes produces very floral and fruity wines. The brother and sister duo own 21 hectares throughout the Sancerre region and predominantly grow Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir varieties.
On the nose this wine has an incredibly intense and complex bouquet, a mix of citrus notes that open out into more floral aromas, eventually going back to more earthy, bitter fruit – rhubarb being the standout. On the mouth this is everything one would want from a Sancerre: a fresh minerality that one expects from the region, with a wonderful spiciness coming through at the end. Enjoy this wine with a goat’s cheese risotto, with one eye on the summer.
