Domaine Gueguen Sacy Cepage Confidentiel Coteaux Bourguignons 2018

It’s always a thrill to come across a grape variety you don’t know, especially from an area with which you’re fairly familiar and when it adds another dimension to the wines already on offer there.

Céline and Frederic Gueguen are Chablis producers (Celine's father is Jean Marc Brocard and Frederic was winemaker at Durup and then at Brocard) and they set up on their own in 2013.

This is just a small sideline but what a fascinating one! Sacy is a largely disregarded Burgundian grape about which locals have historically been quite dismissive (there’s a fascinating entry in Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz’ Wine Grapes) but the Gueguens have teased out the most extraordinary flavours from it.

It was definitely fruity in a way that Chablis and aligoté are not but such interesting fruit - I picked up greengage, melon, starfruit. Asian pear and it had a luscious fleshiness without being in the slightest bit cloying. Like biting into a very ripe fruit.

What would I pair with it? Actually it’s very nice on its own as an aperitif but I think a chicken salad, maybe with an Asian influence, would be good or some griddled courgettes with mint and goats cheese. Basically anything light and summery. (It's a modest 12.5%)

You can buy it from Davis Bell McCraith for £14.99 which is more than fair for one of the loveliest whites I've tasted this year.

I was given the wine as a press sample.