One of the great joys of my early wine drinking days was sauvignon blanc from the Loire region of France, many of which were cheap, well made, and full of terroir. Sadly, too many of those wines have become too expensive to be worth buying, and their style has shifted from the traditional minerality to the citrusy, fruit-forward approach popularized by New Zealand.
So I was excited to try the Delaunay TYDY ($13, sample, 13%), which we did for the French portion of my El Centro wine class, James McFayden of Favorite Brands in Dallas, who talked about French wine as only he can, brought the Delaunay TYDY for just that reason — to show that there is still quality, affordable sauvignon blanc from the Loire.
The wine didn’t disappoint. It was crisp and fresh, and if there was a bit of lemon fruit, it wasn’t overdone and didn’t prevent the wine’s other qualities from showing, including a hint of flowers and a touch of minerality. If it’s not the Loire sauvignon blanc that I remember so fondly, it doesn’t need to be. Highly recommended, and an ideal wine for anything shellfish, to drink on its own, or bring to a holiday party.