2016 Fournier Les Monts Damnes Sancerre Blanc, Loire Valley

Domaine Fournier Père et Fils is one of Sancerre’s established family estates, with generations of the Fournier family working the dramatic hills around Verdigny. Les Monts Damnés — literally “the damned mountains” — is one of Sancerre’s most revered vineyards, a brutally steep slope above Chavignol where vineyard workers have long earned every glass they drink afterwards. Its limestone-rich terres blanches soils produce Sauvignon Blanc with remarkable depth, structure and longevity.

The 2016 vintage has had nearly a decade to move well beyond youthful Sauvignon exuberance. Monts Damnés is particularly fascinating with age: its steep exposure and chalky marl soils give concentration and acidity, while bottle development brings the savoury, smoky and gently honeyed characters that make mature Sancerre such a different creature from the grassy young examples many people expect.

Deep straw moving towards gold, the nose opens with preserved lemon, quince and yellow apple before revealing chamomile, beeswax and dried herbs. With air come grapefruit oil, crushed chalk, toasted almond and a faint smoky note. The palate is layered and beautifully evolved, with citrus and orchard fruit carried by fresh acidity and a broad, mineral texture. Lemon oil, almond and subtle honeyed notes gather through the middle before a long, dry finish of chalk, herbs and citrus peel.

This deserves grilled turbot with beurre noisette, roast chicken with morels, scallops with brown butter, Loire goat’s cheese or asparagus with hollandaise and toasted hazelnuts. Our pick is the turbot, sweet, firm fish and nutty butter against mature Monts Damnés’ citrus, chalk and beeswax sounds like a very good reason to use the expensive plates.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2030.