Does it get more classic than this? Like Chablis and Muscadet, Sancerre is a quintessential white wine appellation of France, beloved for its famous Kimmeridgian limestone and crisp blancs that sing at apéro hour. This AOC also happens to be home to half a dozen vignerons named Reverdy. Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy, a family farm that has been making wine for many generations—since the 1600s—is our favorite, producing Sancerres with trademark notes of fresh spring flowers and a zesty, mineral finish.
     Since Kermit began to work with Hippolyte, the first Reverdy in this family to bottle, in the 1980s, the wines have been consistently excellent. The current generation, Julie Guiard—Hippolyte’s granddaughter—is as much a humble farmer as any of her ancestors, foregoing vacation and travel to make sure everything is in exactly the right place in her vines and cellar. As we celebrate four decades of importing Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy, join me in opening a bottle of this charming Sancerre that represents what we love most about tradition in French winemaking.

Menetou-Salon is a small but mighty appellation that boasts an impressive soil loaded with fossilized oyster shells. Our group arrived at the vineyards of Joseph de Maistre after a brisk rain, so the air smelled salty and damp, as if we’d detoured from continental Loire to the Atlantic coast. Tasting his 2023 Menetou, a classic representation of the region’s lofty potential, I wondered how some appellations become more popular than others; why some get to be household names and others are relegated to “satellite” status. Joseph’s Menetou is in its own orbit. It’s peachy, finely textured, and pleasantly verdant—one of the most delightful apéritif wines I’ve tasted recently.

Winemaker Pierre Ragon is a national treasure, not only because he has made great Quincy for the last half century, but also because he embodies a version of France that’s rapidly slipping from the present day. Luckily the wines he makes, alongside his young mentee, Augustin Ponroy, preserve history and tradition without compromise. Pierre recalls that back in the day, others in the region picked early to follow trends, while he quietly waited a few more weeks, never in a rush or influenced by the decisions of his neighbors. His 2022 bottling has a warm hue and smells of jammy pink citrus and fresh tarragon. It’s hard to believe that such a playful nose leads to wine with depth and gravitas.