The Incomparable Sancerre of Gerard Boulay
Domaine Gerard Boulay is a small family-run winery with roots in Chavignol, Sancerre’s premier village, going back to the 14th Century. Everything has been organic since the early 90’s, all vineyard work is of course done manually, and in addition to the super tasty everyday drinker Chavignol bottling, Boulay has holdings in the 3 greatest Crus for Sauvignon Blanc on the planet: Clos de Beaujeu, Grande Cote, and Monts Damnes. The soils here vary a bit from site to site, but they’re all based on the classic Kimmeridgian limestone and clay made famous by Chablis.
Speaking of Chablis, Boulay’s Sancerre exhibit striking minerality and vibrancy, and always have a nervy core of crushed stone, citrus, and acidity. This is the perfect recipe for longevity in a white wine, and I can speak from extensive experience: these wines can AGE. Tightly wound and bursting with a chalky, citrus zest inflected nose in their youth, with time in bottle the wines absolutely bloom. The fruit gets tropical, the palate broadens and gains weight and intensity, all the while remaining dry and precise. Ripe and expressive without being sweet, these should be in the cellar of every serious collector.
