Sorting Out Sancerre

Published on September 30, 2009

There's a common misconception about sancerre and the wines that come from this area in the Loire Valley of France. The white wines that are made in Sancerre, France, happen to all be sauvignon blancs; they can carry the sancerre name on their labels. So, remember: all sancerre whites are sauvignon blancs, but not all sauvignon blancs are sancerres.

The tiny sancerre appellation carries plenty of weight in the wine community because of the quality and value of its wines. Sauvignon blanc aficionados will appreciate the citrusy, mineral flavors and tones of the Lucien Crochet Sancerre, 2007 ($22), which pair nicely with broiled stuffed oysters or simply a quality goat cheese and bread, as per the local tradition.