2022 Vincent Pinard Chene Marchand Sancerre, Loire Valley

The 2022 Chêne Marchand is a richly fruited wine offering creamy notes and ripe peach fruit. While it's an opulent style for a Sancerre, it never becomes heavy, plus it has an almost tannic edge, providing a frame and reassuring structure that grips the palate, suggesting that this has longevity. There's a fine, briny character throughout. Having tasted the killer 1996 vintage a few minutes afterward, you can be sure this wine has a long life ahead.

93 points Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous July 2024

Domaine Vincent Pinard is one of Sancerre's most respected family estates, with brothers Florent and Clément Pinard continuing generations of winemaking in the village of Bué. Their wines are admired for their remarkable purity, texture and expression of individual vineyards. Chêne Marchand is among the domaine's most celebrated bottlings, a Sauvignon Blanc with the depth and sophistication to challenge expectations of the variety.

The Chêne Marchand vineyard lies on the limestone slopes of Bué, where its distinctive soils contribute mineral tension and concentration. The warm 2022 vintage produced beautifully ripe fruit, balanced by the freshness and structure that make this vineyard so special.

Pale gold with bright green reflections. White peach, ripe grapefruit and lemon zest mingle with elderflower, fresh fennel and a hint of flint. The palate is concentrated and beautifully textured, with succulent citrus, subtle stone fruit and a firm chalky backbone. A gentle smoky note and vibrant acidity carry through a long, saline finish.

Try it with grilled John Dory and sauce vierge, goat's cheese and asparagus tart, or Japanese kingfish sashimi with yuzu and sea salt. Its depth and mineral character also make it a terrific partner for steamed crab with fresh herbs.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2035. Already expressive, with the concentration and acidity to develop greater savoury complexity over the next decade.