Right this very second, hundreds of people around America are probably shelling out $35+ for top Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé—not you! Today, we’re sneaking further down the Loire River, where pristine, mineral-loaded, deliciously ripe Sauvignon Blanc can be had for $22. We’re in Oisly, a ~370-person village known only to Francophiles and sommeliers, but that’s not why we’re concerned to roll out today’s explosive value—we’re afraid it might convert you!

Although Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé have become synonymous with the world’s finest Sauvignon Blancs, it’s mighty hard to justify the price tag when today’s pocket-change stunner is over-delivering in your glass. Touraine-Oisly is an obscure, village-specific appellation some 70 miles west of the above-mentioned powerhouses, and Domaine de Marcé is one of just a handful of producers using the designation. Let me tell you: it’s extremely worth the detour, packing extra texture and flavor without sacrificing the racy freshness or mineral edge the Loire is justly famous for. Famous name? No, and we’re better off for it: You will not find a greater-value Sauvignon Blanc on our website all year!

Touraine can be a confusing district, and not many people take the time to appreciate its intricacies. The success of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc in Vouvray, Bourgueil, and Chinon often eclipse Touraine’s excellence in Sauvignon Blanc, which accounts for the majority of the region’s production. Most vineyards are found south of the city of Tours, planted between the Loire and Cher rivers. But drive 18 miles from the bright, windy Château of Chambord and you’ll land in the village of Oisly, home of Domaine de Marcé. Their 35 hectares of vines are planted on a layer of fine sand over cold green argile clay. The sand brings elegance and suppleness to the wines while the clay adds depth and intensity. The gentle slope of the banks of the river Cher means excess water drains neatly. Vines are between 10-30 years of age, 80 percent white (mostly Sauvignon Blanc with two hectares of Chardonnay for sparkling) and 20 percent red. 

Christophe Godet is the sixth generation of his family to helm Domaine de Marcé, but the eighth to call himself a winemaker. Both his parents are proudly from Touraine—his mother Chantal from an old viticultural family and his father Daniel born in the commune where the domaine’s vines and house now stand: Marcé. Daniel has worked over 55 harvests in his lifetime, and Christophe cites his parents dedication to the vine as his main motivation and inspiration. He inherited Domaine de Marcé upon their retirement in 2008 and, like so many other young winemakers in the world, has been carefully reconciling generations of traditional farming with a few modern updates.  

“Coulée Galante” is a prized selection of Sauvignon Blanc vines from the singular terroir of the Sologne: famous for its unique soils, goats, hunting, and extraordinary wines. This is Domaine de Marcé’s most powerful and charismatic white wine. The Godets describe it as a “connoisseur’s Sauvignon Blanc full of rare and intense pleasure,” and I can’t help but agree. It’s also what I’d call a “sommelier wine”: obscure, delicious, rooted in a place, and priced so that a second, third, and sixth bottle won’t break the bank. Serve this 2019 around 50 degrees and in all-purpose stems and you’ll be immediately intoxicated by full-throttle aromatics like grapefruit, gooseberry, guava, Kaffir lime, white flowers, honeysuckle, mandarin orange, and crushed stone underneath a light herb component. Racy minerality and acidity slice through the rich citrus- and tropical-loaded palate, triggering a Pavlovian-like reaction. It’s ample, superbly refreshing, and impossible to put down after one glass. Buy a case, enjoy often, and don’t fret if you end up with a couple of bottles next year—they’ll certainly hold up. Cheers!