Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy, 2015 Update
Sancerre will, I think, always be shackled (or blessed, depending on which side of the producer/consumer divide you sit) with an appellation that acts as a brand name, rather like Chablis and Châteauneuf du Pape. It is a name with broad appeal, one that pulls people into the Loire Valley. I know, I was one of them. But whereas I then branched out to explore the region in its entirety (well, that’s the aim, anyway), some simply don’t move on, never drinking anything different. This is why the reason easily-pronounceable Sancerre sells so well, even though the entry-level price is considerably higher than it is for similar dry white wines from other Loire Valley appellations such as Vouvray, Anjou Blanc and Muscadet.
In exploring other regions I left Sancerre behind somewhat, but I have put that right during the last couple of years. Although I travel to the Loire Valley regularly, in recent times I have made repeat visits specifically to improve my knowledge of Sancerre (and Pouilly-Fumé as it happens), in 2013 and again in 2015. And these won’t be the last visits, either. And in doing so I have become reacquainted with a number of domaines where the wines are of such quality, and provide such interesting drinking, that I cannot believe I ever strayed from this region. The domaine run by Pascal Reverdy, while not the most famous, being more ‘classic’ than ‘cult’, is one such fine example.
The Wines
In this tasting with Pascal (pictured) I naturally got to grips with the latest vintage, 2014, tasting the domaine cuvées in white and rosé, as well as the superior white cuvée Les Anges Lots. All were still in cuve. And all were written up for my Central Vineyards 2014 report, so the notes can be found there, and of course also in my Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy profile. So here I focus on those wines from the 2013 and 2012 vintages I tasted, which effectively means a masterclass on the upper echelons of the Reverdy portfolio. There were two vintages of Les Anges Lots and two of à Nicolas, with a single domaine red keeping them apart.
