Sancerre has been undercut by new world sauvignon blancs in recent years, but there's nothing quite like the original.
A "juicy blast" from New Zealand is sometimes just "too loud, too strong, too relentlessly bright", says Susy Atkins in the Daily Telegraph. Treat yourself instead to the "whistle-clean lemon juice, precise and clear" of a true Sancerre - and don't serve it too cold.
A good example is the "strikingly pure" Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2013, £19.99 from Waitrose, which has "a dry, crisp finish".
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Or, says the Daily Express, try the elegant Celestin Blondeau Sancerre 2014, £12 from Morrisons. "Refined and lemony," it has a "high acidity and linear, mineral flavours".
Nor is the Sancerre a one-trick region, says Tina Gellie in Decanter: "It's high time to pay attention to the reds which, while still small in number, are fast gaining a reputation for quality and Burgundian elegance."
Chief among these is the Domaine Lucien Crochet, La Croix du Roy 2010, £20, which is aged in a barrel for a year then blended and matured in a tank before bottling. The result is a "beautiful richness and purity", says Decanter.
-
The 5 best TV shows about the mobThe Week Recommends From the show that launched TV’s golden age to a Batman spin-off, viewers can’t get enough of these magnificent mobsters
-
Is the US in recession?Today's Big Question ‘Unofficial signals’ are flashing red
-
Dinosaurs were thriving before asteroid, study findsSpeed Read The dinosaurs would not have gone extinct if not for the asteroid
-
The best sherries to try this autumnThe Week Recommends The warming tipple from sunny Spain is an underrated cold-weather staple
-
The rise of English sparkling wineThe Week Recommends As UK-based brands give champagne a run for its money, here’s everything you need to know about choosing the right bottle
-
Rosorange: the chic 'love child' of orange wine and roséThe Week Recommends Peachy to look at and crisp to drink, here's to the wine of the summer
-
Friendship: 'bromance' comedy starring Paul Rudd and Tim RobinsonThe Week Recommends 'Lampooning and embracing' middle-aged male loneliness, this film is 'enjoyable and funny'
-
The best rosé wines to try this summerThe Week Recommends Warm weather means it's pink wine's moment in the sun
-
The jalapeño wine trend taking TikTok by stormThe Week Recommends Scatter a few chilli slices into your sauvignon blanc for a subtle and refreshing kick
-
Wine-tasting in TuscanyThe Week Recommends From biodynamic vineyards to historic cellars, the picturesque region is a wine lover's dream
-
A wine-themed tour of beautiful UruguayThe Week Recommends Secret paradise in South America boasts beautiful vineyards
