Abbesse de Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Classic Movie Pairing
The Music Man (1962)“Intense zip and zing” could describe not only this French Sauvignon Blanc but also the performance of Robert Preston in this lavish 1960s Warner Brothers musical. Reprising his award-winning Broadway role, Preston’s lovable con-man Harold Hill is a fast-talking charmer who seduces, among many others in a small Iowa town, leading lady Shirley Jones in a memorable role.
The Wine
The Bougrier family are a winemaking institution in France’s Loire Valley and have been capturing Sauvignon Blanc’s intense ‘zip and zing’ since 1885. Noël Bougrier knows the land like no one else, and thanks to the stellar 2020 harvest, had his pick of perfectly ripe fruit. As Central-Loire Valley Wines reports, “2020 is truly a vintage full of promise,” and “the wines have displayed remarkable fullness and concentration.” Just wait until you taste Noël’s fine Sauvignon Blanc. The 2020 release overflows with zesty citrus flavors and a fresh mineral character. It’s a stylish aperitif or delicious match for goat cheese.
THE ABBESSE
The name of this elegant wine pays tribute to Louise de Bourbon and the 35 other abbesses from the historic Abbaye de Fontevraud (pictured), a stone’s throw from where this wine is made. In the 16th century, Louise oversaw the expansion of the abbey and became a major figure in the region’s history. Her winged ‘L’ insignia adorns both the bottle and the abbey walls.
The Region
The Loire Valley is 75+ miles of diverse vineyard territory that offers an equally diverse array of wines (in whites and reds). But it’s most famous for its Sauvignon Blanc. If you know the right people, small-batch finds (like Abbesse) can often challenge the far more famous—and considerably more expensive—Sauvignons of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé in the eastern Loire.
With Food
In the Loire Valley, they enjoy their refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with another local specialty: Crottin de Chavignol (goat cheese). Whether you’re snacking on it straight with cut veggies or enjoying it in a crisp salad, goat cheese of any variety is a terrific match. Also try grilled salmon, trout or tuna. (And many enjoy Sauvignon Blanc as a mouthwatering, icy-cool aperitif.)
What's Not to Love?
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