90 Plus Sancerre

90 Plus Sancerre is a dry-white-style wine from the Esplanda label, listed under French white wines with a Massachusetts, United States origin. The name points to the Sancerre style, which is built on Sauvignon Blanc. The listing doesn't give a grape, vintage, or alcohol level. Everything below about the glass is therefore what wines in this style usually show, not a measured profile of this bottle. Check the label for the grape and vintage before you buy. Expect a crisp, dry white with high acidity and a light to medium body. Wines in this style usually lead with citrus, such as grapefruit, lime, and lemon zest. Green apple, gooseberry, and fresh-cut herbs often follow, with a flinty or chalky edge. There is no tannin to speak of, and oak is typically absent or minimal, so the finish should be clean, brisk, and mineral rather than creamy or buttery. The acidity makes it a natural match for foods that benefit from a squeeze of lemon. Goat cheese is the classic partner, either fresh chèvre or a warm goat cheese salad. Oysters, steamed mussels, grilled white fish, shrimp with garlic and herbs, and asparagus or green-bean dishes all work, as do light chicken dishes with herb sauces. Very spicy or heavily sweet dishes will overwhelm it. Serve it well chilled, around 45 to 50°F (7 to 10°C), which is about three hours in the refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bath. It does not need decanting. A medium-sized white wine glass with a slightly tapered rim gathers the citrus and herbal aromas without letting them fade. Wines of this type are generally made to drink young and fresh, so plan to open it within a year or two of purchase rather than cellaring it.