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91 pts / A fragrant nose of very ripe dark cherries and plums with hints of cocoa powder and dried herbs. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Round and juicy, with fleshy dark cherries. Joyful and delicious. Drink now.

92 pts / Lots of minerals, fresh mint, lemon drops, lime zest and pears on offer. Medium-bodied with a round texture and crisp, lingering acidity. Polished and balanced, with a clean, flinty finish. Drink or hold.

92 pts / Focused nose with a flinty, mineral overlay to the subtle gooseberry and quince. This shows excellent purity and texture on the palate, with chiseled, chalky tautness. Delicious now, but will hold, too.

92 pts / Aromas of rose cake, baked cherries, sweet plums, dark chocolate and fresh flowers. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and fresh acidity. Round, balanced and silky with a lively finish. Drink or hold.

92 pts / Focused and intense gooseberry, lemon rind, flint and chalk on the nose, showing both ripeness and zing. I love the chalky texture and the intensity here, which augments through the the long, mineral finish. Irresistible now, but will easily hold for 3-4 years.

94 pts / Mineral and tangy nose with a hint of white sesame to the kiwi, green-pineapple and chalk aromas. Medium-to full-bodied with green mangoes, golden berries and kiwis on the mid-palate, which turns quite taut and textured. Impressive purity. Irresistible now, so why wait?

93 pts / Subtle chalk and ashy notes, together with discreet gooseberry leaf and lime juice follow through to a textured, medium-bodied palate. Very elegant and linear, with chalky energy that dissipates in the mid-palate and the finish. Lovely now, so why wait?

92 pts / Fresh character to this, with lemons, pears, some flint and white pepper on offer. Medium-bodied and textured, with lingering, crisp acidity and a salty, mineral finish. Drink or hold.

92 pts / Lots of mineral notes on offer, together with lemons, pear skin and currant leaves. Some flinty reduction. Medium-bodied, focused and well made, with a polished texture and crisp acidity. Lingering, crunchy finish. Drink now.

94 pts / Implicitly mineral and ashy character, together with sliced apples, lime and some refined gooseberry and grapefruit. This is bone-dry and mineral, with a sleek, creamy mid-palate and a flinty finish. Delicious now, but will hold for a few years, too.

92 pts / Aromas of green apples, green gooseberries, white pepper and freshly cut grass. Round texture and medium body with tangy acidity and a flavorful, mineral finish. Drink now.

Top 100 wineries

92/100 – ‘Very pale in color with a light pink hue, this wine has faint and pretty aromatics of dried strawberry flowers, mountain berries, and fresh grass. The palate is dry and has ripe strawberry and gooseberry notes with a bitter grapefruit peel finish.’

93/100 – ‘Pomelo aromas are heady and juicy. In the mouth the flavors are bright and tart with mixed citrus, vegetal notes of white asparagus and fresh garden herbs. The ripe citrus flesh flavor persists through a long finish.’

90/100 – ‘The bouquet of peaches, star fruit, and gooseberry is grassy fresh with fruity punctuations. The texture is rich with chalky minerals, complementing the flavors of flint, limestone, crushed shell, lemon, and dried thyme. Crisp on the finish, this is a refreshing wine.’

92/100 – ‘Fresh aromatics of Persian lime juice and dried white flowers mingle with more grounded notes of crushed rock. Dry and invigorating, with loads of ripe tangerine and honeydew melon, there is a fine balance struck between the bracing acidity and the mineral drive.’

90/100 – ‘Flinty and foreboding on the nose, but creamy and zesty on the palate, showing Greek yogurt, lime curd, green apple, and pear peelings. The finish is consistent with a hint of crushed chalk underneath the malic apple fruit. ‘

90/100 – ‘This regal wine offers an effusive nose of ripe kumquat, Bermuda grass trimmings, river moss, lime skin, and summertime forest floor. That palate shows very impressive minerality and structure slowly revealing wild citrus fruit and wet stones.’

91 pts / A fruity white with sliced apple, fresh pear, citrus zest and some honeydew melon on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with bright acidity and a fresh finish. Drink now.

92 pts / Green apple, peach, guava and lime curd on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with a juicy core of citrus and tropical fruit. Crisp and flavorful. Drink now.

93 pts / Complex aromas of dried apple, waxed lemon, oyster shell, peach pit and flint. It’s medium-to full-bodied with crisp acidity and textured layers. Serious Pouilly-Fumé. Drink now.

92 pts / A fresh, fruity white with aromas of sliced apples, gooseberries, grapefruit zest and pears on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with creamy layers of citrus fruit and tangy acidity. Drink now.

Top 100 Values of the Year

91 pts / Aromas of raspberries, redcurrants, cherries and baking spices. It’s medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Crisp and fresh with a juicy core of fruit and minerals. Flavorful and slightly tannic on the finish. Drink from 2022.

92 pts / A 100% pinot noir with aromas of dried strawberries, red plums, flowers and crushed stones. Some bitter chocolate, too. It’s medium-bodied with chewy tannins. Structured and mineral with bright acidity. Juicy and crisp on the palate with a flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

90 pts / A pale raspberry-colored rosé with aromas of grapefruit, lemon and cranberry. Some volatility. It’s medium-bodied with sharp acidity and a tangy finish. Drink now.

92 pts / A firm, focused white with aromas of green herbs, gooseberry, dried lemon and sliced apple. Peach stone and flint, too. It’s medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Flavorful finish. Drink now or hold.

92 pts / Gooseberry, lime, nettle and juniper on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with bright, tangy acidity. Compact, mineral and sleek with saline and spice undertones. Drink now or hold.

91 pts / Green apple, lime zest, flint and nettles on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with sharp, tangy acidity. Fresh, clean bright. Drink now.

91 points / A white with sliced dried peaches and green apples. Some mineral and flint. Medium body. Fresh finish. Flinty. Drink now.

92 points  / Plenty of green apple, lemon and hints of honey to the mineral undertones. Full-bodied with a creamy texture and a flavorful finish. Drink now.

91 points / A dry, tangy white with sliced green strawberry and watermelon. Strong acidity. Medium-bodied, crisp and vivid. Some tannic tension, too. Nicely done. Drink now.

93 points / Attractive aromas of lemons, grapefruit, fresh herbs, and crushed stones follow through to the medium-to full-bodied palate with a firm yet dense mouth feel and a flavorful finish. Drink now.

92 points / A very beautiful white, showing dried lemon and mango with some flint and stone undertones. It’s full-bodied, layered and flavorful. Like the complexity from the age. Drink now.

93 / Subtle aromas of sliced apple and pear with some minerality. Medium to full body with good density of fruit. Sliced white peaches with grass and flint. Drink or hold.

92 points / A bright, fresh Sancerre with peach, pear and lemon and lime aromas and flavors. Medium body with a creamy, balanced finish. Drink now.

92 points / Subtle and fine-textured with sliced lemon, pear, flint and some ash. It’s medium-bodied with freshness and brightness. Lively finish. Drink now.

92 / A pretty sauvignon with sliced green apples and hints of pears with some lime. Stone, too. Medium body, pretty fruit and a crisp finish. Nicely done. Drink now.

1 étoile

92 / A subtle Sancerre with class and subtlety, offering sliced lemon and apple aromas and flavors with some lime and mineral. Medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a fine finish. Drink now.

Argent

91 points / This fragrant, fruity wine is produced from old vines, giving richness as well as concentration. The wine has intense fruitiness, with green-apple and plum flavors sharpened by gooseberry flavors. It is just ready to drink.

91 points / Full of smoky, flinty mineral character with a zippy, herbaceous mintiness and some pretty rose petal and orange blossom florals.

94 points / One of a series of limited-production, single-vineyard wines, this is densely textured and strongly mineral. It is rich with perfumed green fruits, herbal hints and tight, textured acidity. All these elements need to age further, so drink from 2021.

91 points  / Produced from vines growing in the white chalk soil so typical of Sancerre, this wine has a strong mineral character. That is balanced by the ripe fruit with tropical flavors that has now softened. The wine is rich and ready to drink.

93 points / Grapes for this wine are grown on flinty soil, which gives a strong mineral edge. That and the tangy, ripe fruitiness promise aging. This wine will be best from 2021.

92 / With almost three years in bottle, this wine is now ready to drink. Its rich texture partnered with ripe white and green plum fruits is tempered by a steely, sharp edge that gives the wine shape and structure.

92 points / As it approaches maturity, this rich wine has developed good balance between tangy, herbal acidity and a broadening of the mineral texture. It is becoming a ripe wine, ready to drink from late 2020.

94 points /Crisp, with a mineral texture and a young structure, this wine is full of potential. It comes from the legendary, steep Monts Damnés slope, the exposure giving the wine richness and concentration. The wine has a good future. Drink from 2022.

94 points / Crisp, with a mineral texture and a young structure, this wine is full of potential. It comes from the legendary, steep Monts Damnés slope, the exposure giving the wine richness and concentration. The wine has a good future. Drink from 2022.

93 / An impressive single-vineyard wine, this is powerfully rich as well as finely textured. Apple fruits are enriched by touches of apricots and ripe Bartlett pears. The wine’s texture promises further aging, so drink from 2021.

Year’s Best Loire Sauvignon Blancs Top 30

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92 points / An attractively mature wine, this is rich, packed with ripe, creamy fruits and acidity. White fruits mingle with citrus and an almond character adds complexity. The crisp aftertaste is a reminder of the wine’s Sauvignon Blanc origins.

92 points / One of a range of single-vineyard wines, this is concentrated and maturing well. It has developed flavors of green herbs such as coriander as well as an edge of maturity. It is at just the right moment and is very ready to drink now. 

94 points / Cellar Selection. This vineyard in Chavignol is renowned for its steep slope and great wines. This wine has a grassy character, with green herb-flavors and considerable acidity and dense texture. As it has aged, it has developed asparagus flavors that cut the acidity while reinforcing the texture of the wine. Drink now.

92 / Ripe and ready, this wine is also structured. Its acidity, mineral texture and crispness are balanced by the wine’s great richness, packed fruits and richly herbal character. Drink now.

90 points / This is an extra-rich wine, concentrated with ripe fruits. It is still young with no holds barred in its power and intensity. With its dense texture and upfront fruit, it needs to age. Drink from 2020.

93 / This single-vineyard wine is richly textured with intense fruit that comes from 12 months’ aging on the lees. The density balances with fresh citrus and green-fruit flavors to give a rich wine that is ready to drink.

92 points / A delicious white with sliced apple and mango and hints of pink grapefruit. Medium body. Bright acidity and a tangy finish. Drink now.

92 points / A very pretty red with soft and succulent tannins to the juicy and savory fruit. Plenty of dried strawberry and hints of earth. Medium body. Flavorful finish. Drink now.

92 / Really delicious sauvignon blanc with lots of sliced apple, lemon and dried pear character. Medium body. Tangy finish. Shows energy and brightness. Drink now.

93 points / Exotic aromas of mango, papaya and lime with fresh thyme and other herbs. Medium body. Crisp acidity. Serious Sancere here. Drink now.

91 / Aromas of cooked apple and lemon with some sliced honey dew melon. Medium to full body. Dry and tangy with a creamy texture and a minerally aftertaste to the fruit. Drink now.

90 points / Silky in texture, showing nuances of gooseberry, ground ginger and lemon zest, this white is refreshing and fueled by electric acidity. Mineral accents linger on the well-defined finish. Drink now through 2026.

91 points

91 points / Lime, chive and flint notes give this a racy, detailed feel, with mouthwatering zip on the finish. A textbook rapier Sancerre. Drink now through 2021

91 points / Shows a hint of maturity, with a lemon gelée note leading off, followed by yellow apple, gooseberry and herb flavors. Lively finish. Drink now through 2020.

Argent

91 / The extra richness of a Pouilly Fumé is very apparent in this wine. Its ripe white fruits are tense, tangy while also full bodied and, even after three years, still very young. That bold fruitiness needs to soften further, so drink from 2019.

Guide hachette des vins 2018

93 points / A rich, intense wine, this offers dense citrus flavors and taut, tense acidity. It is just becoming ready to drink, very perfumed, full of fruit and seriously textured. Drink now.

17 / 20 : Nez pêche jaune, épices, bouche tendue, solaire, épicéee, dense, long, complexe, poivré en finale.

ARGENT

91 / This is the top cuvée produced from the Fournier’s Pouilly-Fumé vines. It is rich while crisp, showing fine acidity and a mineral texture. The green fruits cut through the zesty texture of the wine giving concentration and depth of flavor. Drink this serious wine now. 

92 points / This comes from a six-acre vineyard of 30-year-old vines. It is steely and taut with an almost flinty character. As a contrast, the young fruit is crisp, full of citrus and green plum fruits. It is a ripe wine that has a few more months to be at its best. Wait until 2018. 

91 points

91 points  / Grown on flinty soil, this strongly mineral-driven wine is structured, tense with acidity and white stone-fruit flavors. The initial crispness opens out into a concentrated, textured wine that will need to age further. Drink from late 2017. 

90 points / Like so many wines from the Pouilly Fumé appellation, this wine is very young at this stage. It shows pepper and only the beginnings of what will be intense white fruits, good acidity and rich texture. Drink from 2018.

92 points / Fournier’s top Sancerre wine is released with just that extra bit of maturity, giving it extra depth and richness, and turning the initial fruitiness into something more serious. At three years old, the wine is ripe, still with plenty of fruit while also developing a smoky, flinty character. Drink now. 

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Argent