Alain Girard & Fils L'infidele Sancerre Blanc 2021

Given the incredibly fierce run Sancerre has been on for the past 10 years, finding decent Sancerre for $30 is a massive challenge...finding REALLY GOOD, artisan Sancerre, made in tiny quantities like this for Under $30, is basically a miracle! L'infidele is back – a First Bottler favorite that we've showcased for years...if there is a better deal in Sancerre, we haven't found it yet!

Just south of the village of Sancerre you’ll find the domaine of Alain Girard & Fils, where brothers Anthony and Nicolas Girard are making beautiful, fresh, flinty, and weighty sauvignon blanc from a wide range of terroir throughout the region. We LOVE the ‘21 (so will you!) at this tasty little price — it’s full of crisp and inviting white floral notes, with crunchy and minerally river rocks, lemon-lime zippiness, plus tart white grapefruit, and a hint of ripe nectarine. It's a perfectly balanced, texturally luxurious style that gives a nod to the small amount of neutral oak aging, without sacrificing the electric verve that is quintessential Sancerre. We love the complexity here...just supremely rare for Sancerre at this spectacular price!

2021 is one of those crazy harvest years for the central Loire Valley – low yields, about 50% less than a typical harvest, and a crazy amount of challenges hurled at the vignerons in Sancerre. First, it was severe frost, one that devastated about 30% of the crop, and most of the region’s pinot noir. Then, it was high humidity and rain, then cold nights, and strong storms that rolled in just prior to harvest. It was an exhausting year to grow grapes, no doubt, yet miraculously, the fruit that survived was of unimaginably high quality! The fruit is less ripe than the previous warm years of 2020 and 2019, producing more classically mineral-driven wines that have a persevering freshness. If this is to be the “new normal” for the region – with unpredictable weather year in and year out – this 2021 is an absolute achievement, perfectly aligned and ready to drink!

This iconic Sancerre estate goes back to 1875 (!), but the Girard family modernized the winery and vineyards when they bought the estate in 1973, and ever since it has become the base for not only the original estate, Domaine des Brosses – but also the offshoot brands by the new, younger generations of the Girard Clan. Alain Girard comes from several generations of winemakers in the tiny village of Chaudoux, located directly north of the famous town of Chavignol. Both his sons work alongside him, and Nicolas and Anthony each have their own labels too made in slightly different styles, and always driving the conversation for each brand to make the best possible Sancerre. This will compete with Sancerre at twice the price, and you’d be wise to follow the path of the entire First Bottle crew here – load up a cache for drinking all summer long (and beyond)! 2022 is another short vintage, so this global shortage of Sancerre is certain to continue, and pricing has already crept up to the realm of White Burgundy! This is a steal at our price and a wine you can’t find anywhere else in the USA!

PAIRING IDEAS: Order some sushi/sashimi (or make it yourself), and check out the fantastic way it pairs up with this. Yellowtail with a splash of ponzu will make this POP!