2012 Edmond Vatan Sancerre Clos la Neore

The 2012 Sancerre Clos La Néore was poured from magnum. It has an intriguing nose that I really love, scents of dried honey and beeswax, a touch of fish scales, a slight oatmeal tincture signalling its maturity. The palate seems mature but certainly not over the hill: bitter orange and mandarin, Vervain tea and sour lemon, cohering beautifully with every passing minute. This has so much personality—it will be fascinating to see how it matures in bottle, though I would not class it as a “crowd-pleaser.” This is a Sancerre that refuses to kowtow to tastes, and for that, I admire it rather than relish it.