WTN: A truly lovable Sancerre

I have throughout my vinous life found such statements as my title oxymoronic. Sauvignon Blanc, even in the Loire, has been a grape I have had enormous difficulties with - yet I don't know why! Since I like high acidity, green fruit notes and minerality, why haven't I enjoyed Sauvignon Blanc? The only exception available in Finland has been Dezat, of which I have enjoyed almost every vintage that has been imported. I recently reported on the lovely Pouilly-Fumé 2007 and today I had the Sancerre 2007.

Tonight's dinner wasn't as good a match as the Common Whitefish in beurre blanc with the Pouilly-Fumé. I prepared some tilapia in a Swahili-inspired tomato sauce. Tomatoes are notoriously difficult with wines (I find it makes them all taste metallic), yet this Sancerre stood up amazingly well: not a great match in that the food and wine didn't support each other; but not catastrophic since it was enjoyable and not too metallic.

• 2007 André Dezat Sancerre - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre (1/9/2009)
  24,90€; 12,5% abv. Light as water. A lovely, mineral scent, very citrussy; elegant rather than obvious. Good body, ripe fruit, lots of citrussy acidity, strongly mineral, complex even. Interminable aftertaste. Quite lovely!

Posted from CellarTracker

thanks for notes, I'm not familiar with Dezat, but sounds lovely.

I'm curious, have you tried Vatan, the Cotats, Boulay, Thomas-Labaille? There's a lot of bad Sancerre out there, but the good ones are some of the great values of wine for my tastes.

I'm curious, have you tried Vatan, the Cotats, Boulay, Thomas-Labaille? There's a lot of bad Sancerre out there, but the good ones are some of the great values of wine for my tastes.

None of those have been available here. I've read about these "hipster" Sauvignons for years on several fora, but sadly I haven't had access to any of them. I do wonder how I would view Dezat having tasted such wines as you mention. It is strongly mineral so I guess I would like it still.

Tomatoes are notoriously difficult with wines (I find it makes them all taste metallic), yet this Sancerre stood up amazingly wel

I have found Sancerre to do relatively well with fresh tomatoes, something about the herbal and vegetal yet also slightly round generous character of the wine (this varies according to specific Sancerres, of course).

With cooked tomatoes and tomato sauces I probably wouldn't think Sancerre, or any other white wine for that matter (depending on the use and extent of the sauce in the dish, of course).

I'm curious, have you tried Vatan, the Cotats, Boulay, Thomas-Labaille? There's a lot of bad Sancerre out there, but the good ones are some of the great values of wine for my tastes.

None of those have been available here. I've read about these "hipster" Sauvignons for years on several fora, but sadly I haven't had access to any of them. I do wonder how I would view Dezat having tasted such wines as you mention. It is strongly mineral so I guess I would like it still.

Otto, I think you would still rate the Dezat wines. Although we drink the Cotats’ Grande Cote, Culs de Beaujeu and Monts Damnes [almost always Francois's], Alphonse Mellot's Moussiere, and the bigger Edmond and Generation XIX cuvees [you personally might find the latter 2 somewhat oaky although I think he manages the balancing act], Vacheron’s Belle Dame and others, Henri Bourgeois’s suite of Sancerres and a Pouilly Fume, Andre Dezat's Sancerre [and his Pouilly Fume, Domaine de Thibault] are our 'house' Sancerre and Pouilly Fume - good authentic Sancerre and much less expensive than most of the rest.

OK there is less breadth of flavour than in some of the others mentioned above and in other posts but Dezat's wines have depth and are absolutely true to Sancerre and Pouilly so for obvious reasons we drink many more - still drinking the last of the 02 Sancerre but already well into the 2005s which were our next major purchase.

And incidentally I found them many years ago on the recommendation of the sommelier in one of France's top 3* restaurants so they were pretty well regarded in good company. Too bad you can’t get some of the others but IMO you have a couple of excellent, good value wines there.

Tomatoes are notoriously difficult with wines (I find it makes them all taste metallic), yet this Sancerre stood up amazingly wel

I have found Sancerre to do relatively well with fresh tomatoes, something about the herbal and vegetal yet also slightly round generous character of the wine (this varies according to specific Sancerres, of course).

With cooked tomatoes and tomato sauces I probably wouldn't think Sancerre, or any other white wine for that matter (depending on the use and extent of the sauce in the dish, of course).

Support you on this combination, Rahsaan, particularly if the tomatoes are home-grown, organically cultivated and vine-ripened! A little fresh basil and red onion with a sprinkle of sea salt weaves a little more magic as well.

Sounds lovely, indeed. Dezat is not yet on my radar screen. A rapid google shows an importer in the Antwerp area in Flanders but perhaps this is a treat in store on my next look into Alko.

Support you on this combination, Rahsaan, particularly if the tomatoes are home-grown, organically cultivated and vine-ripened! A little fresh basil and red onion with a sprinkle of sea salt weaves a little more magic as well.

Interesting. I might actually find raw red onions to be more of a wine clash than raw tomatoes (assuming the tomatoes are 'properly' ripe, as yours seem to be ).

But, then again so much depends on the proportions in each bite.