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During a recent conversation with a particular importer we know very well on another subject entirely, he mentioned that he’d just received a small shipment of Vincent Gaudry’s remarkable Sancerre Melodie de Vielles Vignes. What? This is a wine we hear of a lot but rarely ever see- a cuvee made of some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in the entire Loire Valley, many over 90 years averaging well over 60. And Gaudry has farmed bio-dynamically since 2004, the first conversion to this type of viticulture in the entire region!. Hearing this news was the vinous equivalent of ‘well, we don’t have the hamburger you want, but how about this steak?’ Gaudry is, indeed, Sancerre royalty and the Melodie de Vieilles Vignes is one of the shiniest gems in his crown. This is not at all a simple, fruit-driven sort of Sauvignon Blanc rather it’s a pure, elemental expression of the sparse Kimmeridgian soils on which it grows. While it’s indeed quite rich on the palate, it’s like the fruit was siphoned through that minerally soil first picking up all that chalk-like mineral, petrichor, salinity and that squeeze of citrus on the finish. While seemingly linear and lean right out of the bottle, as it warms in the glass, it surprises with layers of wild herb, shiso leaf and lime zest flavors. Those who like their Sauvignon Blanc on its own as an aperitif, say may find this wine’s purity and archness a little too severe, but put it alongside a platter of oysters, clams, scallops or a warm goat cheese and herb salad and you’ll see why many think that great Sancerre might be one of the most underrated wines of all. The importer has graciously put aside a (relatively) generous allocation of this for me so if you’re itching to fill those holes in the cellar where your Sancerre should be, this might be a good opportunity to stock up!