2023 Gerard Boulay Comtesse Sancerre, Loire Valley

Gérard Boulay Comtesse Sancerre is one of the Loire Valley’s most refined and age-worthy expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from the famed Monts Damnés vineyard in Chavignol. Gérard Boulay, a quiet master of terroir, works his steep, chalky vineyards by hand, crafting wines that are more about site and soil than varietal flash. The Comtesse cuvée is his top bottling, made from old vines in the sweet spot of Monts Damnés, and it’s only released in the finest vintages.

Monts Damnés is one of Sancerre’s most iconic sites — a dramatic slope of pure Kimmeridgian limestone and clay that gives the wine both power and elegance. Comtesse is barrel fermented and aged on fine lees in older oak, adding dimension without masking the crystalline purity of the fruit.

The wine opens with aromas of white peach, lemon oil, jasmine, crushed oyster shell and subtle flint. The palate is layered and textural, with deep citrus and stone fruit, chalky minerality, and a driving acidity that carries the finish long and clean. It has the structure and pedigree to evolve beautifully over 10 to 15 years, gaining complexity and depth with age.

Pair it with grilled lobster, oysters with mignonette, roast chicken with tarragon, or goat cheese crottin. It’s a white wine with both nerve and nobility.