Francis Crochet Sancerre 'Le Chene Marchand'

Francois Crochet is an intense perfectionist, and it shows in his wines. A graduate of the enology school in Beaune, he cut his teeth working for at Domaine Bruno Clair for a bit, but he was called home to take over his family's winery not too long ago. He owns a precious patch of vines in the lieu-dit of Le Chene Marchand, one of Sancerre's unofficial Grand Crus.

Crochet's version is downright mesmerizing, a wine that purveys a sense of place, an unmistakable varietal character, and a complex minerality that lets you know you're drinking the good stuff. I could wax eloquent about this all day, but the proof is in the bottle......and you need to get this in your glass to fully understand it.