2008 Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre

Pale gold. Textbook aromas of lemon and lime, dusty minerals, herbs and white flowers, with a suave undercurrent of peppery spice. Brisk, sharply focused citrus flavors are complemented by deeper pear skin and flinty smokiness. Fine-grained and linear Sancerre with very good back-end cut and lift. More filled in than the 2007.

Lemon, pineapple, gooseberry, and white pepper rise from the glass of Hippolyte Reverdy’s 2008 Sancerre. In the mouth, this relatively light, brashly citric Sauvignon also reveals notes of black currant and sage, along with salt and chalk. There is an impressive amount of sheer energy on display here and a mouth-watering and ultimately mouth-scouring intensity. But this will definitely hold most appeal for those who relish their Sancerre on the lean side, and its gripping finish harbors considerable citrus zest and citrus pip bitterness. It will be worth following for at least the next 18-24 months, and may well calm down and display a bit of richness after bottling (which only just took place at the time this review was going to press) and with further time. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524