Domaine Olivier Foucher Menetou-Salon 2019/20, Loire
Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc has been a firm favourite of mine since I first tried it sur place as a student many years ago. The refreshing acidity, the aromas of gooseberry, citrus and grass, and the flavours of apple and citrus fruits, with a hint of minerality, tick all the boxes for me.
Just a short distance away to the south-west of Sancerre is the small appellation of Menetou-Salon. Though not as well-known as its neighbour, Menetou-Salon is rapidly establishing a reputation for crisp, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc wines that offer very good value for money.
This wine from Domaine Olivier Foucher, a small 12-hectare estate in Morogues, is a very good example of a quality Menetou-Salon wine. Light in colour, the wine has aromas of blossom with apple and lime on the nose, and flavours of peach and pear on the palate. The grapes are harvested at night to retain freshness, resulting in a lively acidity. This is a well-balanced, multi-layered wine with a lingering, flinty finish.
A perfect wine for a seafood dish – we had it with pan-fried salmon. Or try it with goat’s cheese.
Available from Majestic £16.99 (Mix Six £12.99)