1. WHAT IT IS
A place, not a grape: a hilltop town and wine region atthe eastern end of France’s Loire Valley, two hours south of Paris. Its whites are 100% Sauvignon Blanc (about 80% of production); the restis Pinot Noir, for red and rosé.

2. HOW IT TASTES
Pale, dry and crisp, with lots of acidity: lime, green apple and grapefruit, and a mineral, sometimes smoky edge. Restrained and elegant, unlike the riper, tropical style of New Zealand’s Marlborough.

3. THE LAND
•Location: on the left bank of the Loire, closer to Chablis (about 100 km) than to much of the Loire, which stretches some 400 km west to Muscadet
•Soils: three main types. Terres blanches (about 40%): white Kimmeridgian clay-limestone with fossilised oyster shells, giving fuller wines. Caillottes (about 40%): stony limestone, giving finer, fruitier wines. Silex (about 15%): flint, giving a sharper, smoky edge
• The appellation: 14 villages, the best known being Chavignol; no hierarchy, so the producer’s name matters most

4. A LITTLE HISTORY

Sancerre was a red wine region first. After phylloxera destroyed its vineyards in the 1880s, growers replanted on American rootstock and found Sauvignon Blanc thrived. Pouilly-Fumé was once the better known of the two; today Sancerre is one of France’s most famous whites.

5. SANCERRE AND ITS SIBLING
• Pouilly-Fumé: just across the river on the right bank, about half the size; less rivals than “competitive siblings”
• Same grape, different soils: both are Sauvignon Blanc, but Pouilly-Fumé’s flint(silex) soils give a smokier, flintier style
• Explore further: Pascal Jolivet, our Featured Winery, on the Winexel website

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING
• The classic: Crottin de Chavignol, the local goat’s cheese
• Also great with: oysters, grilled white fish, prawns, crab, sushi, and even asparagus, a famously tricky match
• Names to look for: Henri Bourgeois, Alphonse Mellot, Vacheron and Pascal Jolivet

7. SAY IT RIGHT
Sancerre = “sahn-SAIR”. Pouilly-Fumé = “poo-YEE foo-MAY”. Loire = “lwahr”.

8. IN A WORD
Mineral. Sauvignon Blanc with a sense of place: crisp, restrained and shaped by ancient seabed soils.

1. WHAT IT IS
A sparkling wine from north-eastItaly, made across nine provinces in two regions, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, between Venice and the Dolomites. Prosecco is a protected place name, not a grape: the wine is made from atleast 85% Glera.

2. HOW IT TASTESLight, fresh and fruity: green and yellow apple, pear, peach, citrus and melon, with fresh acidity, moderate alcohol and a light to medium body. Simple, clean and refreshing.

3. THE LAND
-Prosecco DOC: about 85% of production, mostly from flatter land
-Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG: the steep historic hills where Prosecco began, about 15% of production; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019
-Rive: 43 recognised hillside sites within the DOCG, picked by hand
-Cartizze: the most prestigious hill, close to Valdobbiadene, the nearestthing Prosecco has to a Grand Cru

4. HOW IT’S MADE
The tank method: the base wine has its second fermentation in a sealed, pressurised tank, notin the bottle as in Champagne. This keeps Glera’s fresh, floral, fruity aromas, and makes the wine more quickly and atlower cost.

5. READ THE LABEL
Spumante: fully sparkling, atleast 3 bar of pressure; about 90% of Prosecco
Frizzante: gently sparkling, about 1 to 2.5 bar
Brut: drier and crisper, with more citrus; about a third of production and rising
Extra Dry: slightly sweet, fruity and soft; about 60% of production. Yes, Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut

6. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING
Brut and Extra Brut: oysters, prawns, grilled fish, fish and chips, sushi and sashimi, lighter cheeses, salty canapés

Extra Dry: dim sum, mildly spicy Thai and Vietnamese food, Parma ham with melon, fresh fruit, and as an aperitif

7. SAY IT RIGHT
Prosecco = “proh-SEK-koh”. Glera = “GLEH-ra”. Conegliano = “koh-neh-LYAH-noh”. Valdobbiadene = “val-doh-BYAH-deh-neh”. Cartizze = “car-T EET -zeh”.

8. IN A WORD
Fresh. Prosecco is made to be enjoyed young, cold and without fuss.

1. WHAT IT IS

A small but celebrated wine region in the south-west corner of Western Australia, about 300 km south of Perth. It runs around 110 km from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin, with ocean on three sides. Its 5,800 hectares of vines make it about a third the size of Napa and a small fraction of Bordeaux: a boutique fine-wine region, not a wine factory. Its Mediterranean climate and cooling ocean winds let the grapes ripen fully while keeping their freshness.

2. A BIT OF HISTORY

In the 1960s, Dr John Gladstones’ research showed the area was ideal for premium grapes, especially the Bordeaux varieties. The first vines went in in 1967. The pioneers, Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate and Cape Mentelle, are still the region’s great names. Robert Mondavi’s advice to Leeuwin Estate in the early 1970s gave the whole region confidence.

3. THE GRAPES
•Cabernet Sauvignon: the signature red. Blackcurrant, black cherry, plum and cedar; fine tannin, fresh acidity, ages well. Often blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

•Chardonnay: the superstar white. Stone fruit and citrus, creamy texture, often oaked; today’s styles are fresher and more refined

• Sémillon–Sauvignon Blanc (SSB): fresh and bright, the region’s “sunshine in a glass”

4. OUR RECOMMENDED PAIRING

• Cabernet (16–18°C): roastlamb, beef ribeye, venison, mushroom dishes

• Chardonnay (10–12°C): lobster, crab, grilled prawns and, above all, local marron, a sweet fresh water crayfish

5. MYTH OR FACT?
• Australian Chardonnay is always big, buttery and oaky. Myth: Margaret River makes focused, restrained styles too

• Australian Cabernet is huge and alcoholic. Myth: the best are fragrant, fresh and age-worthy

• SSB is just a cheap wine. Myth: the best have real texture and complexity

6. WINES TO TRY
• SSB: Cape Mentelle

• Chardonnay: Vasse Felix; Deep Woods; Leeuwin Estate Art Series (the icon)

• Cabernet Sauvignon: Moss Wood; Cullen

7. SAY IT RIGHT

Leeuwin = “LOO-in”. Sémillon = “SEM-ee-yon”.

8. IN A WORD

Balance. Ripe Australian fruit, with unusual freshness and elegance.