Today, I am excited to share with you the new vintage of Inès Lauverjat's Vieilles Vignes de 1947 Sancerre! In a short amount of time, Inès' wines have become among our most popular Loire Valley wines in the shop! 

For those who do not know, Inès is an ambitious, rising star in the Loire Valley, producing stunning Sauvignon Blanc from her tiny vineyard in Menetou-Ratel. Two years ago, I received sample bottles from an array of French producers and Inès' Sancerre was among them. While I recognized the Lauverjat family name — one of the most famous and revered in Sancerre — I was unfamiliar with Inès and her domaine. Tasting the wine stopped me in my tracks: I was amazed by its purity, expression, tension and energy. It's hard to believe there is so many complex flavors and textures in a 750 mL bottle! I was in disbelief. 

I called Inès the next day and was surprised at what I learned: she was only 25 years old and 2019 was only her second vintage ever of Sancerre Blanc! What's more is that Inès had never sold her wine outside of France; in fact, she had barely sold them outside of her own cellar! As we talked, I couldn't help but think I was on the cusp of a great discovery for the Corkscrew customers: a marvelous, chiseled Sancerre that literally nobody in the USA has tasted, hand-crafted by a committed, dynamic young woman. After our conversation, I was convinced Inès is the real deal, a hidden gem in Sancerre and a producer that will be a staple of our Loire Sauvignon Blanc selection for years to come. Her wines are beyond great, and as a scion of one of Sancerre's most illustrious families, her virtues are of the highest pedigree. I'm sure Inès will become a legend, and you can experience her extraordinary wine for yourself. Here is her story...