Sancerre

Sancerre is an appellation in the eastern Loire Valley producing crisp, mineral, dry Sauvignon Blanc. Expect high acidity, citrus and gooseberry fruit, and a distinctive flinty, stony character quite different from New World Sauvignon.

Where Sancerre is

Sancerre sits on hills above the Loire river in central France, near the town of the same name. It is a cool continental climate — a long way from any moderating sea — with real risk of spring frost and vintage variation.

That coolness is why the wine is what it is. Sauvignon Blanc here never reaches the tropical ripeness it achieves in Marlborough; instead it retains high acidity and expresses citrus, green fruit and a strong mineral character.

Three soil types divide the appellation and are worth knowing, because producers often name them:

• Terres blanches — heavy limestone-rich clay. The fullest, most structured wines, slowest to open.
• Caillottes — shallow, stony limestone. Light, aromatic, forward wines for early drinking.
• Silex — flint. The origin of the smoky, gunflint, struck-match character Sancerre is known for.

The grapes

Sauvignon Blanc accounts for all white Sancerre. There is no blending.

The style is markedly different from the Marlborough interpretation. Where New Zealand pushes passionfruit and cut grass, Sancerre is more restrained: grapefruit, lemon, gooseberry, blackcurrant leaf and white flowers, with a chalky or flinty finish and a taut, linear structure. Oak is rarely used; the point is transparency.

Pinot Noir is also permitted and makes both a light, red-fruited red and a delicate rosé. These are a small minority of production but can be excellent, and Sancerre Rouge is one of the more interesting light reds in France.

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé

Directly across the river lies Pouilly-Fumé, also 100% Sauvignon Blanc, on similar soils. The wines are close cousins. Pouilly-Fumé tends to be marginally rounder and smokier — the fumé refers to the flinty character, not to smoke or oak — while Sancerre is often a touch more aromatic and precise.

Neighbouring appellations Menetou-Salon, Quincy and Reuilly make similar wine at noticeably lower prices, and are the value play when Sancerre feels expensive for what it is.

What it tastes like

Dry, light to medium-bodied, with high acidity and moderate alcohol. Lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry, herbs and a persistent stony, mineral finish. Good Sancerre has a tension and length that inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc lacks entirely.

Most is designed for drinking within two to four years, though top single-vineyard wines from strong producers can develop attractively for a decade, gaining honeyed weight.

Food pairings

• Goat's cheese — the definitive regional pairing. Crottin de Chavignol is made in the appellation itself, and the match of tangy fresh goat's cheese with high-acid Sauvignon is close to perfect.
• Oysters and shellfish.
• Grilled white fish, especially with lemon or herbs.
• Asparagus and green vegetables — the wine's herbaceous streak handles them.
• Sushi and sashimi.

Avoid heavy, creamy or oaky dishes; this is a wine of precision rather than weight.

What to buy

Sancerre trades at a premium over other Loire Sauvignon, and some of that premium is reputation rather than quality. If you like the style, Menetou-Salon and Quincy deliver a very similar experience for less.

When buying Sancerre itself, producer matters more than vintage in all but the most difficult years. Buy recent vintages, and drink them young unless you have bought a specific single-vineyard bottling.

Serve at 8 to 10°C. Over-chilling flattens the mineral character that you are paying for.