2008 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol

If you don't know this estate in Sancerre, you should. K&L is fortunate to have discovered these wines a few years back, before the press. And, as Boulay's California importer, we have a leg-up on the few retailers in the country who can get their hands on these wines. Never have we tasted such vivid clarity and expressiveness in Sancerre, much less Sauvignon Blanc. This wine transcends what you think of Sauvignon Blanc - it is much more than a simple quaffer with its aromas of candied grapefruit, Mandarin orange, lime and wildflowers. But what really sets it apart is its mineral-infused personality. These are wines of the soil, wines that echo the land with precision and delineation found in only the greatest of white wines. Comprised from the Boulay's many small parcels around the hamlet of Chavignol - considered to be the finest spot in all of Sancerre. From Parker's Wine Advocate: "Boulay’s 2008 Sancerre smells of lime, fennel, red currant, and grapefruit. Firm and bright on the palate, with lime and grapefruit peel lending a certain sizzle, and hints of gooseberry tartness lending invigoration, it finishes with a classic sense of chalkiness and impressive grip if not lift or refinement. Quite the alter ego of the 2009 but very close to the Boulay norm, this will prove versatile for at least another 18-24 months." (08/10)