The archetype of great contemporary Sauvignon. Or could it be the great Sancerre of the past that had disappeared?

—La Revue du Vin de France on Vincent Gaudry’s Sancerre
 
The French love Vincent Gaudry. He’s on top wine lists and, as you can see above, the French press revere him too. Partly it’s his devotion to that nearly-lost tradition of Sancerre. The French love their traditions.

Of course, they also love organic and biodynamic producers, and Vincent is a leader on both fronts: organic for 30 years and biodynamic for 25 (he began conversion soon after the 16-year-old Vincent joined his father at the domaine). Thirty-four years later he is a model for many of Sancerre’s greatest producers.

Those who know him best seem to love him best. How much? Well, Anne Vatan, of the legendary and almost impossible to get Domaine Edmond Vatan, farms her family vines with Vincent, and entrusted him with her old-vine Pinot Fin.

His “basic” wine, “Gaudry’Olle,” is technically a Val de Loire IGP. But he treats it better than most producers treat their top Sancerres (organic farming, spontaneous fermentations with natural yeasts, plenty of aging without battonage). Not surprisingly, it also tastes better than most of the Sancerres we are offered, even those with higher price points.

“Le Tournebride,” embodies Sancerre’s old tradition of blending fruit from across different terroirs (Bartolo Mascarello and Beppe Rinaldi preserve a similar tradition in Barolo). The Tournebride expresses all three of Sancerre’s classic terroirs: Silex, or flint; Caillotes (Oxfordian limestone); and Terre Blanche (Kimmeridgian limestone) in one beautiful, beautiful wine.

Finally, the red is an absurdly rare treat from the tiny site that made Vatan’s Sancerre Rouge. That wine is a unicorn if there ever was one, and we couldn’t believe our luck when we got to taste Vincent’s version – it was shockingly good. This is his first vintage making the wine since Anne Vatan leased the site to him and we don’t know how many times we’ll be able to offer it; this may well be it. And we have only a few bottles of the ‘22. So if you have any interest please don’t hesitate to send us your requests.

Vincent Gaudry, Sauvignon Gaudry'Olle, 2023 $28.99
Taylor Swift fan in your life who wants “a Sancerre or a Sauvignon Blanc”? This is the wine: immediate deliciousness, plenty of elegance and just enough terroir interest for any wine geeks at the party.

Vincent Gaudry, Sancerre Blanc 'Le Tournebride', 2023 $54.99
Or, if you really like your Swiftie friend, serve them this: Sancerre with plenty of almost white peach premier cru-like fruit underpinned by the full range of mineral notes.

Vincent Gaudry, Sancerre Rouge Les Vignes de Chavignol, 2022 $119.99
Burgundian depth with Sancerre character, an unbelievably rare treat. This awesome wine isn’t just Pinot Noir, it’s Pinot Fin – the ancient, low-yielding clone that has been almost entirely replaced by more economical, more modern, clones. Old vines (60-65 yo) convey both the Pinot Fin’s bright fruit and fine texture and the terroir’s earthiness, minerality, spice and power.