Bernard Fleuriet et Fils Sancerre Blanc Côte de Marloup 2022

We scarcely get Sancerre through our doors, and when we do, it’s in extremely limited numbers that never stick around long...so, when we do get some (especially from a producer like the incomparable Domaine Fleuriet) for more than 30% savings, we shout it from the rooftops!

Point blank: Sancerre is THE hardest wine region to keep in stock these days. A few weeks back, we showcased another crunchy and fresh Sancerre from Domaine Fleuriet, and it whizzed from our shelves faster than we could refill our sample glass. The last decade alone has seen these wines made from the local sauvignon blanc grape become increasingly in demand and harder to find – with top estates often selling for prices more in line with premier cru White Burgundy. To have some of this single-vineyard, mega-electric, organic Sancerre from a head-turning producer for well under $35 is...a miracle, to say the least!

Domaine Fleuriet is a relatively new producer for the region, with their holdings in Sancerre and nearby Menetou-Salon reaching back to 1991. They’ve accomplished wonders in a short few decades, with 30 hectares of prime plots on a sloping hillside loaded with the region’s revered flint, limestone, and alluvial pebble soils. Aging in concrete tank keeps everything bright and lively, as classic Sancerre should be. Coming from the Côte de Marloup vineyard, this is considered a crown jewel of the estate’s offerings, coming from a steep, sun-drenched plot known for developing tremendously minerally and balanced sauvignon blanc grapes.

Bernard Flueriet manages the estate with his two sons, Mathieu and Benoit. They work diligently on their land and have always pushed for sustainable efforts that are rewarded in the wine’s final complexity. The estate was awarded with a certificate for their organic agriculture beginning in 2016, with full Demeter (biodynamic) certification following in 2021. They vinify with minimal intervention in order to let the terroir express itself (indigenous yeasts, spontaneous fermentations, limited use of sulfur, etc.), and this classic, purely expressive Sancerre blanc is the happy result!

This is a layered, complex, and elegant expression of sauvignon blanc – crisp and bright, but also round and creamy. Floral and round fruit aromas of ripe honeysuckle, Anjou pear, cantaloupe, white peach, and Meyer lemon accentuate the chalky minerality, punctuated by notes of wet stone and citrusy acidity. A twinge of spice on the finish, making for an elegant and velvety sauvignon blanc that drinks nearly like top-notch cool-climate chardonnay, almost Chablisienne in nature. A simply fantastic white wine and a next-level find...for as long as we have it, at least!

PAIRING IDEAS: Trust me, you need to try Ina Garten’s tuna tartare, complemented with flavors of lime, wasabi, soy sauce, and scallions for something as fresh and zippy as this Sancerre.