Domaine Bailly-Reverdy Sancerre La Mercy Dieu 2022

Made of 100% Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre is a classic French white wine to serve as an aperitif, with white fishes, sushi, or goat's milk cheeses. This bottling from the illustrious Domaine Bailly-Reverdy is made by a quality-driven family producing classic Sancerre with fruit, acidity and minerality in harmony, making them food-friendly and a true pleasure to drink.

The present Bailly-Reverdy domaine was created in 1988, but the vineyards have been in the family since the turn of the century. The current generation, led by Franck Bailly, and most recently his nephew Aurelien (son of Franck’s brother Jean-François) has continued the family’s tradition and improved upon it with remarkable consistency and quality. The domaine works 22 hectares of vines that are all planted in the appellation of Sancerre, 15.8 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 6.5 hectares of Pinot Noir. Just before Franck’s father, Bernard, retired, the domaine purchased a 5 hectare domaine in Chavignol with vineyards on the very reputable hillsides – Les Monts Damnés, Les Comtesses, Les Bouffants. They now own approximately 6 ha of vines in Chavignol, most of which are used for the Chavignol cuvee. The vines are planted on the very steep slopes of Chavignol: 2/3 are planted in the clayey-limestone terres blanches and 1/3 in the rocky limestone pebbles caillottes. Bailly-Reverdy does not use any chemicals nor herbicides in the vineyards, they plant grass and herbs between their vine rows and practice ‘lutte raisonnée’ in the vineyard (which is sustainable and as close to organic as possible). 

The Mercy Dieu comes from all of Domaine Bailly-Reverdy's plots outside of Chavignol. As a result it represents a great range of all the different terroirs of Sancerre – caillottes calcaires -limestone pebbles, terres blanches - white chalky soil, and chailloux - flintstone. About 5% of the total blend is aged in neutral barrels, with the rest aged on its lees for 4 to 5 months in stainless steel. The 2021 has a very nice pale yellow color with pale green highlights. A lovely complex nose of citrus fruits, flowers and minerality. The entry is fresh and clean, then well-structured, with both roundness and liveliness. An ample wine, a beautiful aromatic power. This wine fills your mouth. Lovely length. Ideal with goat cheese (dry and young), grilled fish, poultry.