France — wine

Sancerre

Most prestigious Loire Sauvignon Blanc appellation. Three soil types: silex (flint — mineral, smoky, taut), calcaires (limestone — rounder), terres blanches (Kimmeridgian — complex, structured). Also Pinot Noir red and rosé — the best 'rouges de Sancerre' are seriously competitive with light Burgundy. BC importer: Lifford [NEEDS VERIFICATION].

Year Rating Notes
2023 86 Very good. Good balance. Classic Loire Sauvignon precision. Strong from Henri Bourgeois and Dagueneau.
2022 88 Very good. Warm vintage. Riper style Sancerre — less typical but enjoyable with earlier release.
2021 85 Good. Frost reduced yields. Concentrated, mineral, excellent from best sites.
2020 89 Very good. Elegant, mineral. Village and premier cru wines both performing strongly.
2019 92 Exceptional Sancerre. Dagueneau wines at extraordinary level. Classic flint, citrus, mineral tension.
2018 87 Good. Good ripeness. Less typical mineral precision but generous and accessible. Drink young.
2017 90 Excellent Sancerre. Warm vintage producing ripe, round Sauvignon Blanc. Flinty minerality from silex soils intact.