Farming and winemaking is in Adèle's blood: her father, Jacques, is a respected vigneron in Quincy and Reuilly, while her brother, Côme, is an well-known oenologist. Adèle is a certified agricultural appraiser, and after completing her wine studies in Bordeaux, she returned to Quincy in 2003 to launch her eponymous domaine. Her vineyard holdings are small, only 5 hectares, but many of her parcels consist of old vines, some of which were planted in 1920, 1930, and still others in the 1950's. She farms with minimal spraying, using only natural products to work the siliceous, gravel and clay soils. Domaine Adèle Rouzé is the quintessential familial estate; the type we are delighted to support here in the shop.

Quincy — the second wine-producing region to receive AOC status (1936) — makes charming Sauvignon Blanc, but with Adèle's vigilance in the vineyard and deft hand in the cellar, the wines reach an expression unmatched in the appellation. Any lover of crisp, steely Sauvignon will be enamored with her stunning wine. Her 2017 vintage pours an alluring light gold color with green highlights. Out of the glass, aromas of citrus fruit, freshly-cut herbs and crushed river stones explode from the glass. On the palate, the wine is laser-focused with a piquant acidity that gives the wine an lively energy, allowing flavors of lemon, grapefruit and tangerine to glide across the tongue with ease.. The finish is long and elegant, as those fruit flavors coalesce with a distinct clay-soil minerality and slowly saunter into the ether. This is a fantastic example of Quincy, and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc in general, from a dedicated master of the varietal. Enjoy with stuffed roasted red peppers, a roasted beet and endive salad or a plate of assorted goat cheese.