Picnic Wine: Jean-Michel Sorbe From Quincy

The Quincy AOC of France's Loire Valley is strictly for white wines. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes were brought to the region by monks about a thousand years ago. The village is actually located on the Cher River, which feeds into the Loire. Sancerre is close by, and so is Pouilly-Fumé, so you get the idea.

Quincy - it rhymes with "Nancy", not the TV coroner - has been an AOC longer than any region except Châteuneuf-du-Pape. World War II interrupted viticulture in the region as the Cher River was a natural barrier between occupied and unoccupied France.  As a result, most of the vineyards were abandoned and not replanted until the 1980s.

Jean Michel Sorbe

It's all Sauvignon Blanc, as is customary in Quincy. It’s as fragrant as a citrus tree, too, which also seems to be a hallmark of the region. The pale wine has a nose full of lemons and limes, with a sweet floral element to balance it. Old world Sauvignon is just amazing, with so much to offer. Tons of minerality on the palate, and a softness there as well that seems almost contradictory. The acidity makes things totally refreshing and also makes one want a plate of crabs, or lobster. An avocado salad would fit nicely in the scheme of things as well.

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