2024 Thomas-Labaille L'Authentique Sancerre, Loire Valley

There’s a snap of sea air and crushed citrus peel the moment this opens, the kind of clarity you only really get from Sancerre grown on proper limestone. Thomas Labaille works out of Chavignol, a village steeped in tradition, and this wine leans into that heritage with a no fuss, site first approach that keeps everything honest.

Lime, grapefruit and green apple come through first, but it’s not just about fruit. There’s a chalk dust grip, a flicker of fennel and something almost saline that pulls it away from anything generic. It feels alive, not just fresh.

The shape is what really sets it apart. It starts clean and direct, then stretches out, building tension through the mid palate before finishing long and tight with that mineral edge humming away. Nothing heavy, nothing obvious, just precision and length.

Food wise, go sharp and coastal. Raw scallops with a squeeze of lemon, razor clams straight off the grill, or even something like tempura prawns with a light soy dip. It also cuts beautifully through richer bites like a salt cod brandade or a buttery fish pie without ever losing its line.

Drink it now while it’s all energy and detail, or leave it a few years and watch that mineral side take over.