When you’re buying wine for restaurants (or e-commerce sites, for that matter), certain wines become automatic placements. With these wines, no one’s bringing a bag full of samples for you to consider—they’re bringing you a sheet of paper on which to write your wish list, which you can only hope will be fulfilled. Domaine Vacheron, arguably the leading producer in Sancerre, has reached this level (with us, anyway, but with others too, I’m sure).
Wines like the one we’re offering here—Vacheron’s 2013 Sancerre “Le Paradis,” from a one-hectare piece of perhaps the greatest Sauvignon Blanc vineyard in the world—are never a question of “if,” but rather of “when” and “how much can we get.”
The 2013 le Paradis displays a straw yellow core with green reflections at the rim. The aromatics are as complex and concentrated as Sauvignon Blanc gets, with scents of passion fruit, guava, green apple, green peach pit, gooseberry, honeysuckle and green mango peel checked by savory notes of mushroom, wet herbs and a distinct chalk minerality. The palate delivers incredible power, electrifying depth and texture, and a mineral drive that is a true testament to this treasured site’s exceptional terroir. Although this wine is stunning in its current state, it will continue to age gracefully for a good 10 years (or more). For instant gratification, decant for a minimum of one hour and serve in Bordeaux stems between 50-55 degrees. There are a lot of options in terms of food—it would be amazing with blue-veined cheeses and/or chèvre, for one—but let’s go with this recipe for sole in a lemon-cream sauce. Maybe some asparagus on the side? Spring can’t come soon enough...