Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly 2014

Once considered “the poor man’s Sancerre,” the diminutive Reuilly appellation (a mere 450 acres) now garners considerable attention as a premier source of elegant, balanced Sauvignon Blanc, as the 2014 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly aptly attests. Moreover, the 2014 vintage yielded superb white wines along the upper reaches of the Loire River and its tributary, the Cher, where Sauvignon Blanc reigns supreme. Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, and Reuilly all turned out flavorful, balanced Sauvignon Blancs. The quality of the 2014 vintage is particularly evident at Domaine Dyckerhoff, one of the finest producers in Reuilly, an appellation in the throes of a viticultural renaissance. Domaine Dyckerhoff’s 2014 Reuilly is fragrant and dry with soft scents of crisp mountain apples and spring flowers. On the palate, pure fruit and herbal flavors emerge where they mingle with a gentle minerality and light fresh acidity to afford balance and delicacy to this Reuilly. Elegant, easy and delightfully engaging, the 2014 Dyckerhoff Reuilly plays counterpoint to some of the more aggressive, sometimes off-putting Sauvignon Blanc wines from elsewhere. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest moderate chilling (about 40° F) of the 2014 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly. Enjoy!

The 2014 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly embodies the ideal aperitif, as it exudes elegance, freshness and a lithe spirit that gently enlivens the senses and invigorates the soul. Yet, this quintessential Reuilly also provides the ideal companion to a host of shellfish and freshwater fish such as trout and walleye. In addition, when confronted with even small amounts of soy sauce, wasabi, or ginger, most dry wines lose their flavor or worse: they taste like steel. The 2014 Dyckerhoff Reuilly, on the other hand, shines in the presence of such condiments, which makes it an excellent choice with sushi, California, Dragon, and Fresh Spring Rolls. With a bottle of the 2014 Dyckerhoff Reuilly and some fresh seafood, one can also re-create at any time of the year the halcyon days of summer by a beach or lakeshore. Clams, crab, mussels, oysters, and shrimp, prepared just about any way you can imagine, and trout or walleye filets, grilled to perfection over a charcoal fire, provide memorable accompaniments to Domaine Dyckerhoff’s 2014 Reuilly. And like many of the Loire Valley’s finest Sancerre, Domaine Dyckerhoff’s splendid Reuilly offers the perfect companion to soft rind cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, Saint-Nectaire and Reblochon as well as mild- and moderate-flavored goat and sheep’s milk cheeses. Bon appétit!

The Dyckerhoff family migrated from Germany in the 1960s and settled in Reuilly where now vigneron/winemaker Christian Dyckerhoff grew up amid his family’s vast cereal farm. Although Christian is relatively new to winemaking, Christian’s wife, Benedicte, hails from a family of wine growers in Ribeauvillé, Alsace, and together the Dyckerhoffs created Domaine Dyckerhoff in 2004.

Domaine Dyckerhoff consists of just 12.5 acres in Reuilly, an appellation located in the eastern Loire near the beautiful medieval city of Bourges. In little more than a decade Domaine Dyckerhoff has become one of the most influential ambassadors of the reinvigorated Reuilly appellation and a very reliable source of tasty Sauvignon Blanc. Not surprisingly, Sauvignon Blanc takes center stage at Domaine Dyckerhoff, as it does among the majority of Reuilly producers. However, small quantities of very good Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are also produced at this up-and-coming domaine.