When most people think of the Loire Valley the first thing that comes to mind are the crisp, dry whites of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. In fact, the style of Sauvignon Blanc produced in these two appellations has become the model that winemakers around the world strive to duplicate in their own expressions of the grape variety. Etienne Daulny’s Sancerre comes from the commune of Verdigny, which many experts believe this to be the best area within the greater Sancerre appellation because of the high chalk content in the soil. The chalky terroir gives these wines their distinctive mineral weight - richness not derived by the use of oak aging or barrel fermentation, but naturally occurring as the wines are vinified in stainless steel. Daulny selects old vines from a single-vineyard for this brilliant, surprisingly rich wine. The aromatics are "grassy" while crisp citrus fruit dominates the mid-palate with a racy mineral component at its core.