Sancerrely Yours
Sancerre – another French classic from an unknown grape. You remember the name and that you liked it, but what makes it?
The dryness of its palate is the giveaway: Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc to the core, perhaps the most dedicated expression of that grape. From a strictly defined region in central France, only the few and proud get to produce Sancerre.
Goes great with: Chicken and all poulet, summer sausages, shellfish, an expansive view from the deck.
Friend A: “Who’s ordering? I would love a Sauvignon Blanc!”
Friend B: “Oh, yes please!”
Friend C (to waiter): “We’ll take the Sancerre.”
Awkward silence as A&B surmise they’ve been ignored.
The thing to remember – or perhaps explain – about Sancerre is that it’s the sacred home of Sauvignon Blanc, from a specifically designated region (or A.O.C.) in France. The label won’t say so, but now you know: a Sancerre is all SB.
Only fourteen villages in the Eastern end of the Loire Valley have the right to produce the crisp, dry Sancerre. This designation is a big deal, and you can see the French obsession with native soil: from terres blanche (white limestone and chalk) to flinty mineral soils, the rolling patchwork hills tended here are a microcosm of Sauvignon grape-growing traditions and techniques.
Reds are made here, too – specifically Pinot Noir – but Sancerre has become shorthand for a dry aromatic white, unexposed to oak barrels and ready to drink young. Very much, ahem, like Sauvignon Blanc.
Don’t overlook the delight of sancerre rouge. If you’re a red drinker, a nice chilled sancerre rouge during the summer months is a beautiful French gift.