From: Burgundy, France
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Critical Acclaim
BH 91 Burghound.com
The sauvignon blanc character is present but not aggressive on the very fresh citrus and white fleshed fruit nose. There is excellent punch to the racy and solidly concentrated medium-weight flavors that possess a suave texture that contrasts with the dry and firm finale. This is already complex and a wine that should be capable of adding more depth with a few years of bottling aging.
Barrel Sample: 89-91
Taste: This gorgeous Sauvignon Blanc comes from the lieux-dits of Cornevin, Cote de la Canne and La Roncie, with vines that are farmed biodynamically and harvested by hand. The wine is vinified at cold temperatures in stainless steel vats using native yeasts, and aged on its fine lees before being aged in stainless steel. On the nose, this wine offers fresh and zesty aromas of tart green apples, Asian pear, celery, and lime, along with a subtle note of smoke and petrichor. The palate is well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, slightly peppery, and with a suave texture that contrasts with the dry and firm finale. Flavors of lime zest, pear, and gooseberries dominate, leading to a concentrated finish with plenty of minerality.
Pairing: This Saint-Bris Exogyra Virgula is a versatile wine that pairs well with a variety of dishes. For non-vegetarian options, it goes well with trout poached in vermouth or moules-marinieres (mussels in white wine and garlic broth, please check out our suggested recipe below), which enhance the wine's acidity and minerality. For vegetarians, this wine pairs nicely with a taleggio cheese tart, a salad with a citrusy vinaigrette, or grilled asparagus with lemon and herbs.
Overall, this Sauvignon de Saint Bris is a high-quality wine that shares many similarities with top bottlings of Sancerre. It is an excellent choice for those looking for a refreshing and zesty wine to accompany a wide range of dishes.
Curry-Laced Moules à la Marinière With Fresh Peas
By Martha Rose Shulman
At a Glance
In truth, Domaine Goisot should be known as a fine Chablis estate, but history has not been particularly kind to the region since Saint Bris was exiled from the Chablis appellation after phylloxera paralyzed the area in the late nineteenth century.
Jean-Hugues Goisot was among Burgundy’s earliest practitioners of biodynamic viticulture, and today his son Guillaume maintains this arduous commitment. The family farms Sauvignon Blanc, Aligoté and Chardonnay in deep, chalky soils just a few kilometers east of Chablis.
Value is is an understatement at this world-class domaine. The Sauvignon de Saint Bris bottlings share many attributes with top Sancerre from terres blanches soils, and are generally cropped at lower yields than all but the very best estates in Sancerre. Additionally, the Cotes d’Auxerre Chardonnays are rich and racy with a real WOW-factor for their ability to be at once concentrated and lythe.