Table of Contents
The Story
The Petit Bourgeois Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2019 is an IGP Valle de Loire wine (the back label calls this a “table wine” which is a designation below IGP). It is the entry-level Sauvignon Blanc from Famille Bourgeois and winemaking family that has been producing wine in the Loire Valley for ten generations. They specialize in the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé regions of the Loire Valley.
The Petite Bourgeois is probably not from those vineyards, Famille Bourgeois farms about 180 acres in the valley, but the back label only says “bottled by Henri Bourgeois”. Bottled by means just that, the producer named on the front label bottled the wine and nothing more.
The label laws for wine are awful, they confuse things rather than explain things. Since Famille Bourgeois is the actual winery and Henry Bourgeois is the brand name might explain may be the reason why who actually grew the grapes and made the wine are hidden. But still, it is not information that is too much to ask.
With that rant out of the way, Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc has been my favorite Sauv Blanc for years. And not the fancy Sancerre wine, though I do like them, just the plain old everyday Sauvignon Blanc, it is amazing, sunshine in a bottle.
The problem with Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc is that it isn’t the easy wine to find at a competitive price (I found this one for $10.99 on sale). Good New Zealand Sauv Blanc is available at grocery stores and West Coast and Central American Sauvignon Blanc is plentiful and well priced.
Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, which I think is excellent at all its price ranges, is available only at the better wine shops. Even then, it is mostly Sancerre and the prime location wines. For whatever reason the simple immensely enjoyable Loire Sauv Blanc isn’t widely available, maybe the French keep it all to themselves.
The Petit in the name means young, as in a wine with a very little aging. The wine was fermented in cool temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and then was aged on fine lees for 3 months. Aging on lees means they left the dead yeast and grape residue in the tank. Fine lees indicate they filtered the lees enough to remove larger bits and pieces but the left the small stuff. Aging on lees can give the wine a salty, cashew taste and when the lees are stirred can give the wine a creamy texture. The alcohol content is 13%.
Petit Bourgeois Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Tasting Notes
The color is pale wheat yellow. The nose is bright and lovely, all fresh fruit and tart citrus drizzled in honey. This Sauv Blanc has excellent acidity, that is something that you can take for granted until you taste a wine that just nails it.
It tastes of ripe, not tart apple, grapefruit with a bit of a kick, and soft juicy peach. The mid-palate brings a little of that salty lees thing, a little melon, pear, and lemon chiffon. The acidity will have you reaching for another sip, your palate will demand it.
The Summary
- The Petit Bourgeois Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2019 is a joy to drink. Loire Valley Sauv Blanc is my favorite so I figured I would like it and it didn’t let me down.
- The problem is that now I can’t simply head to a grocery store to get my Sauvignon Blanc fix. I have to hit the fancy wine shop and fight my way thru all the Sancerre’s to find the simple, beautiful inexpensive Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc that I love.
