Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre Blanc Cuvée Silex 2023

Domaine Serge Laloue works in AOC Sancerre, in the eastern Loire Valley of France, one of the benchmarks for Sauvignon Blanc. This cuvée comes from a single plot of silex, the flinty clay-and-silica soils that Sancerre growers prize because they give the most mineral, structured wines; the vines are around forty years old, which reduces yields and concentrates the fruit. The continental Loire climate, with its cool nights, keeps the natural acidity high and the aromatics precise. The wine is aged on its lees, a technique that broadens the texture and adds a subtle savoury weight while keeping the fruit clean and the wine unoaked. The colour is pale straw. The nose is sharp and mineral, with lemon, green apple and gooseberry lifted by white flowers and a smoky, flinty note that comes with the silex soils. The palate is dry and taut, with vivid acidity, a fine texture from the lees and a long, stony, saline finish. Serve well chilled at 8 to 10 degrees. It is a fine match for goat cheese and shellfish, the traditional local pairing.