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40 Years of Reverdy Sancerre
40 Years of Reverdy Sancerre
by Tom Wolf by Tom Wolf
2020 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
2020 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire | Sancerre
“I tasted good Sancerres in several caves but selected Hippolyte Reverdy’s because it was the prettiest, because it has none of the dreaded SO2, because his price is far from painful, and because I liked his name. When you are named Kermit, there is a satisfaction to be gained by meeting an Hippolyte.” — Kermit Lynch, June 1983 Newsletter
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 40 years 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.
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 375mL |
Blend: | Sauvignon Blanc |
Appellation: | Sancerre |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy |
Winemaker: | Julie Guiard |
Vineyard: | 30 years average, 11 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Kimmeridgian Limestone |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Sancerre
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Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
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Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.
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This lithe and expressive “orange” wine is an ideal palate-opener with a dry, cleansing finish and a fresh, cooling effect like coastal sage and seaspray.
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It is fresh and buoyant enough for casual fare yet has the stuffing to accompany heartier dishes, while its vivid raspberry fruit makes it extremely approachable today, notwithstanding its medium-term aging potential.
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This blanc is chiseled and electric and boasts notes of citrus, herbs, and stones that would beautifully complement pan-fried sea bass or shrimp tacos.
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Serve it with a slight chill, and you’ll have a satisfyingly fresh red with medium fruit and a light dusting of herbs and tannin.
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Chinons from Joguet are known for their firm minerality, but this one is quite charming as well, with plummy black fruit, myrtle, and notes of warm licorice.
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
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Citrusy aromatics, bracing salinity, and a mineral backbone make it a mouthwatering match for tangy, fresh-herb-laden soups like tom kha gai or pho.
About The Producer
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
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2022 Chinon Rosé
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2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
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2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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2020 Vin de France Blanche
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
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2022 Reuilly Pinot Noir
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.