Domaine Delaporte Sancerre Les Monts Damnés 2023

Domaine Delaporte is based in Chavignol, in the Sancerre appellation of the Loire Valley, France, and this wine comes from Les Monts Damnes, one of the region's most famous and steepest vineyards. The name and character come from the soil: Kimmeridgian marl, a limestone-rich clay full of fossil shells, on a sharp south-facing incline. This chalky clay drives the wine's flinty minerality and firm acidity, while the steep slope and cool Loire climate ripen the Sauvignon Blanc slowly and keep it precise. The estate farms sustainably. Rather than the usual all-stainless approach, this cuvee sees barrel ageing, where slow oxygen exchange and lees contact add texture and a subtle weight without covering the grape's aromatics or the marl's saline signature. The colour is pale gold. The nose shows lemon, green apple and elderflower with a smoky, flinty edge and a light herbal note. The palate is dry and taut, the citrus fruit carried by a mineral, chalky acidity to a long, saline finish with real cut. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees. It is a natural match for goats' cheese and shellfish.