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This stunning new bottling becomes Valentin Desloges’ first Sauvignon Blanc. It comes from vines in the clay and flint soils rising above the Loire River at Noyers-sur-Cher. Picked ripe, with barely any vestige of ‘Sauvignon-ness’, the grapes were pressed as whole bunches and fermented with indigenous yeasts in both tank and a selection of used barrels ranging from 228 to 500 litres.
Despite the negligible use of sulphur (1 g/L at the press and 2 g/L at bottling), it’s an incredibly focused, pulpy, penetrating Sauvignon. Aromas of crushed rock, chamomile leaves, sea salt and chervil lead to a zesty and mouth-filling wine finishing on song with excellent grip and mouth-watering stony acidity. As always here, Sauvignon Blanc, just like Chardonnay in Burgundy, is the messenger rather than the message. Sorry to namedrop, but fans of Didier Dagueneau should beat a path to this wine.