Spring in Sancerre - Wine & Spirits Magazine

Spring in Sancerre

Sancerre’s direct rail line to Paris long ago set its path to become the classic bistro wine. Americans, too, have fallen in love with the most proximate sauvignon blanc to the French capital. But while Parisians explore all the nuances of the Loire from Sancerre to Nantes, many of the local varieties and lesser-known village appellations remain sommelier favorites here in the states, waiting to be discovered on a grander scale. Many are, in fact, as grand as the châteaus that share their towns.

This spring, Corey Warren led a series of tasting panels on the wines, focusing on the eastern Loire, but including a host of Touraine selections as well. He and the tasters found a lot of be excited about, so we followed up with Pascaline Lepeltier, recently awarded the title of Meilleur Sommelier de France 2022 (as she was in 2018), yet another credential to add to her MS and MOF. We are fortunate to have her in New York as an ambassador for the wines of her native region, and she discussed her new restaurant’s opening and what excites her about the latest wines coming out of the Loire. —Joshua Greene

SOMM INTERVIEW

Newcomers from the Loire

We caught up with Pascaline Lepeltier, MSF, MOF, to find out more about the producers she considers exciting newcomers.

RECIPE

Duck Rillettes

At Buvette, Chef Jodi Williams serves duck rillettes, a Loire specialty, with toasted country bread and cornichons.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Frost Fight

Growers in the Loire are branching out to try and save their vines from winter frosts. Corey Warren spoke with Vianney de Tastes of Château Soucherie about his “warming wires” that salvaged the 2021 harvest in one of his vineyards.