SEDUCTIVE SAUVIGNON!

Sauvignon Blanc were words that used to make me shudder. And I bet I’m not the only one. The global takeover of early-picked, thin, borderline-cat-pee tasting expressions has done the grape no favours. There is no shame if you're into that New Zealand supermarche style, but please know, there's so much more to Sauvignon than just that.

In its spiritual home, the Loire Valley, is where you’ll find winemakers showing what this grape can really do. They're picking at proper ripeness (yes, yellow grapes, not green), farming organically at a minimum, and handling with real care in the cellar.

I probably mentioned it already, but on my trip a few weeks back, I witnessed this brilliance with my own eyes. Sancerre, with its dramatic slopes, is a good place to start. Old-school vignerons like Cotat make wines that are steely, herbal, and on the edge of the exotic. Probably the producer with the strongest case that Sauvignon Blanc should be considered a noble variety. The Grande Côte has the complexity of old vines with all the vigorous energy of young, whilst Monts Damnés is the site you want to be in. This bottle is probably the benchmark expression. A wine you simply must try at some point. Boulay is running a very close second though…

Then there’s Riffault, the good Riffault, also doing single-site expressions that are deeply mineral and beautifully textured. He’s got four state-of-the-art presses. Yes, four. That’s a big investment in a bit of kit that only gets used for a few weeks a year, but this kind of attention to detail results in otherworldly wines. This here is layered, intense, and full of life thanks to some more of that Kimmerdigian limestone soil. His rosé must get a mention too… Up there with the best I’ve ever tasted. I think in the industry, this is what they mean by ‘Gastronomic’.

Boulay, again if you need any further reference points.

A short hop across to neighbouring Pouilly-Fumé and you’ll find the generous, mind-bending wines of Alexandre Bain. Here, Sauvignon is just a vessel to express terroir. His cellar is a chaotic mix of: steel, foudre, barrel and plenty more. He’s constantly tasting, blending, moving wines around, only bottling when things are truly ready. It was one hell of a visit. Come chat to me about it, as I can’t quite do it justice here.

These aren’t your average Sauvignons. Perhaps more Jura-like, with subtle oxidative notes, piercing acidity, and plush, spiced fruit. He works strictly zero-zero, yet the wines are crystal clean and strikingly direct. I called them “wild”; he preferred “free.” I think that’s one I’m going to permanently adopt. Wild might give the impression that these could be considered ‘funky’ or faulty. There is not a hint of that here. Yes, they’re unusual for the region but that is kind of the point. He was kicked out of the appellation because the wines weren’t uniform enough, which is quite ironic if you ask me. After all, he’s probably one of the very few to really show the terroir of Pouilly-Fume at its full potential. Whilst everyone else is trying to fit into that ‘boring’ classical style and allowed to call their wines PF, Alexandre has to use the humble Vin de France. Not that he’s bothered by this. The wines aren’t trying to fit in; they’re trying to be as delicious as possible. Pushing the extremes, taking risks, all in the name of better wine. We need vignerons like this to keep things going, and this is why I think they’re the best in the region.

Sure, Dagueneau gets all the plaudits (and rightly so, especially at these criminally good prices for the ‘18). But Bain’s wines? They’re ‘freer’. Unpredictable in the best way. Each vintage, each bottle, shifting depending on the day and what you're eating. But they always deliver something emotive, carrying a unique energy that I haven’t found anywhere else.

Le Levee is a stupidly well-priced entry point into the esoteric house style. Mademoiselle M was my favourite from the cellar tour, with a unique umami quality and autumnal spice. Finally, L. d'Ange has a hint of botrytised fruit resulting in a marmalade-laced bottle with honeyed hints and subtle caramel tones. Almost a trick on the senses as this is vinified bone dry… A real thought-provoker.

Not just top wines, he’s a top guy. Would love to host a tasting with him at Dan’s one day… It would be beautiful chaos. After surviving the cellar, he then hooked us up with a serious restaurant in Sancerre, and the night ended with a ping pong-fueled lock-in and G&Ts. Perhaps I’m biased, but I do think these are some of the very best. Taste one and you’ll see. La Tour is the restaurant in question btw, a must-visit if you’re in this part of town.Savvy B aside… IDK if or how you missed it, but we dropped some Guffens at the tail end of last week. The 2023 vintage is really really really good. Trust me. Buy, drink one, cellar one, do whatever, just don’t sleep on them if you know what's good for you.

Also, a little bit of Takahiko has now gone online. Packed alongside some serious Pinot. Share the love.

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LYSM,
Fionn