Villargeau Giennois Blanc

Villargeau Giennois Blanc is sold in the French white category, and the Giennois name points to a style from the upper Loire, where white wines are typically built on Sauvignon Blanc. The grape blend, vintage and alcohol level aren't listed for this bottle, so check the label for them. Wines in this style usually show crisp citrus and green-fruit character: grapefruit, lime zest, gooseberry and green apple, often with a flinty or chalky mineral edge and a faint grassy or herbal note. Expect a light to medium body, bright acidity, no tannin to speak of, and a clean, fairly dry finish. Oak is rarely a feature of Loire whites of this type, so anything toasty or buttery would be unexpected. That acidity makes the wine a natural match for salty and tangy food. Fresh goat cheese is the classic partner, whether crumbled over a salad, baked on toast or served as a crottin with bread. Oysters, steamed mussels, pan-seared white fish with lemon and butter, and shellfish pasta with herbs all suit it. It also works with asparagus, green beans and dishes heavy on fresh herbs, which can make many other wines taste bitter or flat. Mild curries and Vietnamese or Thai salads with lime and herbs are good non-French matches. Heavy cream sauces and red meat will overwhelm it. Serve it well chilled, around 7 to 10°C (45 to 50°F). About three hours in the refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bucket gets it there. Allow a few minutes in the glass to open up, since going much colder mutes the aromas. Decanting isn't needed. A medium-sized white wine glass with a slightly tapered rim will concentrate the citrus and mineral aromas better than a wide bowl. Most wines in this style are made to be drunk young, while the fruit and acidity are at their liveliest. Plan to open it within a couple of years of purchase unless the label or producer says otherwise.