2025 Francois Cazin - Cheverny Blanc (750ml)

François Cazin's family has worked Le Petit Chambord, just south of Blois at the edge of the Sologne forest, for four generations. His Cheverny Blanc is the wine that won over Joe Dressner at the Loire wine salon back in the early '90s, and it's been a Dressner staple ever since.

It's the classic Cheverny blend, mostly Sauvignon Blanc with a splash of Chardonnay, from old vines on clay and limestone. The fruit is farmed organically, picked by hand and co-fermented with native yeasts, then aged in tank and older foudres and bottled unfiltered by gravity. 2025 was a welcome easy year here: dry spring, no frost and an early harvest of beautifully ripe fruit.

Expect lime, green apple and gooseberry over a chalky, mineral core, with more texture and weight than nearby Sancerre but plenty of snap on the finish. A no-brainer with fresh goat cheese, oysters, trout or a simple roast chicken.