Domaine Olivier Foucher is a small, 10 hectare farm located along the slopes of the town of Morogues in the Menetou-Salon appellation of the Loire Valley. Olivier created the estate in 1992 and grows Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, making wines that are incredibly complex and at the same time dangerously drinkable. Menetou-Salon is an appellation located directly west of Sancerre. While the wines of Sancerre are more well known (and consequently more expensive), the wines of Menetou provide as good quality at a better price. The terroir in this region is laden with the limestone-rich, calcareous soils from millions of years ago, leftover from when the region was under sea; it is quite similar to the terroir of Chablis Grand Crus.

The Domaine Olivier Foucher Menetou-Salon is spectacularly fine and polished. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is always beautifully represented here at the shop and the superior quality is consistent with each new vintage. Light lemon in color, the wine has a delicate floral scent, with a touch of lime zest and tangerine on the nose. The palate is full of white-fleshed fruits — particularly peach and pear — that blend with more exotic, softer notes of grapefruit and papaya. Wave after wave of mouth-puckering acidity and a mineral-packed finish will keep you coming back for more! Perhaps the most impressive feature of the wine is its impeccable balance of flavor intensity, structural tension and length: everything is where it should be, making this Sauvignon Blanc almost too easy to drink. This is an exceptional seafood wine — think oysters, scallops, smoked trout, shellfish — but it is also perfect for a salad of fresh greens with apples, goat cheese and walnuts.