The Menetou-Salon designation, a neighbor of Sancerre wines in the Central Loire, includes both reds from Pinot Noir and whites made from Sauvignon Blanc. We have in our possession a bottle of the 2006 white Menetou-Salon by Henry Pellé.
Did I mention that we went to the wine store again? Did I mention the email that praised the this wonderful white wine value? Did I mention we ordered a case of it, sight unseen? No? Well then you are in the same state of innocence and grace that I was on Saturday afternoon, when it was suggested we stop at our favorite shop to see what they were tasting.
Actually, we have in our possession a case minus one of the Henry Pellé, and fortunately for me and everyone else involved (which could be you, dear reader, should you stop by), Henry Pellé makes a pretty nice little white Menetou-Salon.
A good restrained sauvignon blanc, a little minerally into citrus. I initially claimed a lemon finish, but my wife suggested grapefruit and I had to agree. She thought the minerals were prominent, I found them modest. This wine is not the big fat gooseberry-and-grass-over-citrus brute out of New Zealand, which I also love, but instead a well-defined and restrained white in the Central Loire style.
We had the wine with Cajun-spiced tilapia, which was probably a bit too much spiciness for the wine, but the fish came and went, and we drank the Menetou-Salon with pleasure all evening.
