Notify me
2021 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte ReverdyKermit reminded me that the village of Chavignol, known for its fine, firm-textured cheese, the Crottin de Chavignol, is in the heart of the Sancerre appellation. While this recipe does not utilize Crottin (a cheese not particularly suitable for melting), the association of goat cheese with this wine in the local tradition spurred me to come up with this dish.
Finding the right food pairing summons the aromas in the wine. Likewise, the wine can act as a condiment to the food, enhancing its flavors and providing a provocation to continue eating. In this case, the chalky pucker of the goat cheese draws out the flintiness in this wine and harmonizes well with its pungent grassiness. The soft, somewhat creamy effect of the omelette is also a good foil for the refreshing acidity in the wine (taken on its own it can appear “hard”), which washes it all away and further stimulates the appetite. —Paul Bertolli, 1995 Newsletter
Click here for Paul Bertolli’s GOAT CHEESE OMELETTE recipe.
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. Join me in opening a bottle of this charming Sancerre that represents what we love most about tradition in French winemaking. —Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
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: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Sancerre
France | Loire
Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.
2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
France | Loire
Sancerre Rosé is made from Pinot Noir grown in Kimmeridgian limestone soil, and the Neveu family’s interpretation is fine, floral, crisp, and bone-dry.
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
France | Loire
This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
France | Loire
Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
France | Loire
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.
2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
France | Loire
Powerful, cellar-worthy dry Chenin aged in chestnut, oak, and acacia.
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
France | Loire
Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
France | Loire
Delicious and honest naturally sparkling Chenin, bottled with no dosage and no sulfur.
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
France | Loire
This Saumur Champigny is electric and alive, from the first scent of roses on the nose to the juxtaposition of textured tannic grip and sheer weightlessness on the palate.
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.
More from Loire or France
2021 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2021 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch