Gérard Boulay

Why Gérard Boulay is Essential

France has bestowed the world with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, four of the most widely planted and loved wine grapes in the world. For the first three, we know where to turn: Bordeaux and Burgundy. But Sauvignon Blanc is a bit more spotty in terms of performance, even in the place where it supposedly reaches its apotheosis — the Central Loire around Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. I've often found the Italian versions from Friuli to be more elegant and a better bang for our buck.

But that calculation changes with the wines of Gérard Boulay. Boulay rises into the upper echelon because of his prime holdings in the most important terroir in the area: Chavignol. The vineyards of this village anchor their roots in Kimmeridgian marl, the same band of limestone-clay that most famously lends an unmistakable texture to Chablis, as well as certain champagne from the Côte des Bar. While many top-end Sancerre feel like a tightrope walk thanks to their taunt acidity, the wines from Chavignol are generous and silkier. Boulay happens to be a specialist of this type of wine because 88% of his vineyards are in Chavignol. And unlike a few other stars in the area, his wines are still well priced.

Boulay's family has been farming the area for centuries, with the oldest records of the family name dating back to 1380.

Wines to Seek Out

There are currently seven wines available from Gérard Boulay in the United States market, including five white Sancerre. While the terroir studies are interesting with the single-vineyard selections, I prefer the yellow-label Chavignol blend, which is not only the most readily available but also a wonderfully balanced, complex and generous wine for any occasion.

Gérard Boulay "à Chavignol" Sancerre

Hands-down my favorite Sancerre wine, especially because it is relatively affordable at the $30 mark. With this wine, Boulay allows all of the elements of the most esteemed terroir in Sancerre to shine through a wine that is as fresh and forthcoming as it is precise and complex. Aromas are redolent of grapefruit zest, papaya, faint bell pepper, cheese rind and loads of petrichor, but it is the floral sensations when the wine hits the palate that burst with the most exuberance.

Gérard Boulay "Mont Damnés" Sancerre

Made from 45-year-old vines on the steepest pitch of Chavignol, the famed "Damned Mountain." Angled toward the sun, this plot yields a riper and bigger Sauvignon Blanc than the others — a sort of Chavignol on steroids. In its youth, the wine's aromas can be fairly subtle, but the flavors on the palate — a swirl of tropical fruit, hibiscus and flinty minerality — burst with energy. Most intriguingly for me was a suggestion of brine, which was there one minute, gone the next, but whose presence put me in the mood for shellfish.

Gérard Boulay "Sibylle" Sancerre Rosé

Reminiscent of ripe strawberries, tangerine and thyme, Boulay's simple rosé of Pinot Noir is pure and delightful. It offers a focused counterpoint to the bevy of French rosé we've grown accustom to from the South of France, as it is satin in its texture, with plenty of body and presence that is followed by a mineral finish.