From: Côteaux du Giennois, Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Taste: Bright aromas of pear, white blossom, Meyer lemon, orange rind, and apricot pit are underpinned by a chalky minerality. These flavors and wet stone character also show up on the palate, as each sip reveals more layers of white peach, crabapple, white pepper, sage, and hints of dried grass. Light on its feet, this wine remains both refreshing and juicy with each glass.
Pairing: Fresh seafood is a great place to start for inspiration here. Try this wine with lightly seasoned and smoked or grilled white fishes like halibut, trout, or cod, clams or mussels (hello moules marnières!), oysters, or even sushi. You can also look to soft, fresh cheeses like Goat’s milk cheese—either on their own, hot and spread on toast, or as part of a fresh salad. Not to mention dishes that involve Crème Fraîche or yogurt. Complementary vegetables include zucchini, artichoke, asparagus, and leek, and cooking with herbs like parsley, basil, mint, tarragon, thyme, and dill is encouraged. We’re sharing two recipes below: one vegetarian and one not!
White Bean and Asparagus Salad with Tarragon-Lemon Dressing by Melissa Clark
Sheet-Pan Chicken with Zucchini and Basil by Melissa Clark
About. Many thanks to the team at Mary Taylor Wine for the following information.
When one thinks of Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre springs to mind for many. But just a few miles north of popular Sancerre lies the hidden treasure of Coteaux du Giennois. Little known outside of France, Coteaux du Giennois just received AOP status in 1998 - yet it has been producing wine since the 2nd century, and vineyards here were given as gifts by the French royal court as early the 800s.
Alice Berthier’s vineyards are planted on hillsides of the Loire extensions of the geologic formations of Sancerrois and Pouilly – that is to say, the same classic Sauvignon Blanc terroir, without the trappings of international fame. The terroir is a mix of 50% silex soil from the town of St Père, and 30% limestone and 20% clay from the town of Pougny, both in the heart of the Central Vineyards along the Loire River. Each plot is vinified separately and brings its own complexity to the wine.
Alice and her team work with the utmost respect for the environment, planting grass between rows, encouraging biodiversity, and using natural forms of pest control such as sexual confusion. Yields are carefully controlled and the estate is in organic conversion.
This wine comes from 30 year-old Sauvignon Blanc vines. As soon as they arrive at the winery, grapes are gently pressed and the juice is allowed to settle naturally for 36 hours. Spontaneous fermentation with ambient yeasts takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine goes through natural malolactic and is matured for a few months on its fine lees until the bottling is carried out in the spring. It rests for eight months in bottle before release.
