The Cellar: Quincy & Reuilly
Friday, December 12, 2014
This week I will be focusing on the increasingly popular grape variety Sauvignon Blanc. If you are anything like me you love to explore the world of wine and find yourself continuously looking for the next great region. This week’s two feature wines are exactly that; new and exciting, not from the obvious places; New Zealand, California or Sancerre. No, this week we will be highlighting two (in terms of the American market) up-and-coming French Sauvignon Blanc producing regions; Quincy and Reuilly – regions that are finally stepping out from under Sancerre’s and Pouilly’s shadow and highlighting their great quality and good value.
Quincy
Quincy is a small village located in Loire Valley’s easternmost ‘Upper Loire’ region where vines have been grown and wines produced for hundreds of years. The region had its heyday in the mid 1800’s and was the first region in the area to receive AOC status for producing Sauvignon Blanc (1936). Its small geographical area however severely limited its availability especially on the internationally markets. The region’s mere 500+ acres pale in comparison to Sancerre’s 7000+. The under-the-radar status is great for us who love Sauvignon Blanc as the quality is really high and prices very reasonable. GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
This week’s featured Quincy is the 2010 from Philippe Portier, whose 45 acre Estate is dedicated to growing one grape, Sauvignon Blanc, and producing one wine, Quincy. His wines are made in stainless steel tanks and age on the lees after fermentation with occasional stirring. This is done to increase the richness of the wine and add complexity. His 2010 vintage is a real classic example of what Sauvignon Blanc from this region is all about; refreshing and high in acid with traditional notes of grape fruit and gooseberries alongside lovely minerality. Great wine and well under $20.
Reuilly
Literally down the road from Quincy, 6.8 miles southwest to be exact, is the village of Reuilly. According to the rules of the AOC Reuilly all white wines must be produced exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc, while the rosés and reds can be made of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. At just under 500 acres Reuilly is slightly smaller than Quincy, but as with Quincy more vines are being planted every year so keep your eyes open when you shop for Sauvignon Blanc. As with the wines Quincy, Reuilly offers an affordable alternative to the better known regions and often just as much quality.
This week’s example is Domaine Dyckerhoff’s 2012 Reuilly. This tiny Estate has 12 acre under vine. The vast majority of it is planted with Sauvignon Blanc on traditional limestone soils covered with sand and gravel. This wine comes across a slightly richer in texture and riper in fruit than the Quincy – an expression of a warmer vintage and the sandy top soil which retains the moisture allowing for more plump grapes. The flavor that comes across the most is that of freshly made lemon curd.
I recently tasted the two wines side-by-side in a blind tasting. I preferred the Quincy so as a result I will be pouring it on Sunday when the Providence Wine Academy features 10 delicious Wines of the Loire Valley. As of this morning there are still a few tickets left so don’t miss out!
Cheers,
Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Feel free to email him at [email protected] with any wine-related question or learn about wine in person by signing up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.
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