Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  11/26/2008 (link)

  (DAULNY Sancerre) Sancerre Dear Friends, There's nothing like a top bottle of Sancerre. From a quality, complexity and value standpoint, Sancerre ranks right up there as the champion of all three and this producer is on fire. Etienne Daulny holds some of Sancerre's most prized vineyard material in his hands every year and whether you choose his "regular" bottling or his top-tier Clos de Chaudenay, you will undoubtedly choose wisely - both are marvelous examples that I wouldn't hesitate to serve in the finest company. While the regular bottling showers its non-malo vintage character like chards of Honeycrisp falling from the sky, the Clos is more dreamy and serious - both are more than worth your time and effort. This parcel has impeccable provenance: 2007 Etienne Daulny Sancerre This wine may very well be the ultimate poster child for 2007 Sancerre, a vintage that has caused a (forgive me for using this hyperbolic retailer phrase) "back up the truck" mentality among the faithful. From a blend of Daulny's best grapes in Monts Damnes, La Perriere and Les Bois Butteux this wine is anything but a regular bottling (he was going to give it a name like Sancerre Trois but decided to just label it as "Sancerre"). Brilliant, focussed, precise and oh-so nervous, this wine is akin to a block of frozen, lemon-tinged Sancerre ice that melts slowly onto your palate and cuts a piquant swath across all known adversaries such as shellfish and white meat dishes. Even with such a show of cleansing force, the mineral tone remains at the forefront, buffered by the freshest natural extractives. No malolactic takes place with Daulny's Sancerre and there is no oak - it is a wine to contemplate but also to enjoy without pretense over the next 6-10 years when nothing but real Sancerre will do. A ridiculous bargain and a wine that deserves to find its place in our cellars. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 2006 Etienne Daulny Sancerre "Les Clos de Chaudenay" Daulny's top single-vineyard offering? Impossible but possible. Simply put, this wine is fantastic - one of the best of the vintage. While everyone is focussed on 2007, this wine has more depth, intensity and old-vine breed than nearly any 2007 I've tried to date. From a parcel known as "the hot one" (due to its ideal southwest gradual slope), this parcel of 40-60 year old Sauvignon Blanc vines has adorned us with a gorgeous and powerful rendition of single-site Sancerre that would not be out of place next to something like Huet's Le Haut Lieu Vouvray sec (yes, it's Chenin but the texture and tone are symbiotic). The Clos de Chaudenay is extractive, full of crushed rock and minerality with a pervasive citric element that floats and weaves its way around the palate. The finish is among the longest of the vintage, both delicate and lasting. The overall impression is one of serious class and structure in a powerful but graceful package with only 12.5% alcohol. In other words, I'll take as much as I can find - another ridiculous bargain for a wine at this level. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Loire7310 Loire7320