We've been out of Etienne Daulny's sensational Sancerre for awhile now. This artisan grower just doesn't make enough wine to meet demand, but due to our longstanding support, we were able to snag 14 of the 40 cases that made their way to North Carolina. That is all we'll get of Daulny's brilliant 2023 Sancerre...
Produced from nearly 60 year-old vines, this is a wine that always rings my bell, and the '23 is no exception. Showcasing wonderfully pure and elegant varietal character, there's good concentration, complex minerality, and more. Daulny's Sancerre always showcases why Sancerre is the best Sauvignon Blanc terroir on the planet.
2023 Domaine Daulny Sancerre Blanc
Sensational, Small Grower Sancerre!
Year in and year out, Domaine Daulny makes one of my favorite Sancerres. The estate covers 15 hectares, with diverse plots that are blessed with all of the best terroirs found in the region -- flint, clay, and limestone. It's these rocky, limestone-rich soils that give Sancerre its famed and prized minerality. I know it's not a lot of fun to talk about dirt, but it's important if you want to understand why your wine tastes the way it does.
Monsieur Daulny is a quality fanatic, and he always includes wonderful, old-vine material from some of Sancerre's top sites. We're talking low-yielding vines from famed vineyards like Les Monts Damnés, Les Bois Butteux, and La Perriere. That quality of site, those old vines, and Etienne's talent are all on display in his 2023 Sancerre.
If I were teaching a class on Sancerre, this is the wine I would use. Fermented in tank and aged on its fine lees for 6-8 months, this captures the essence of grape and place. Ripe citrus and pear are front and center with fennel, grapefruit zest and saline mineral notes in the background. Concentrated and flavor-packed on the palate, it maintains wonderful balance and elegance.
I always take the my maximum allocation on this one, but it is never enough. Enjoy this with classic Loire Valley dishes like trout in a beurre blanc sauce or keep it simple with a baguette and some creamy chevre.
