Domaine Fournier, Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) Les Belles Vignes 2009

($25, David Milligan Selections):  Sancerre is enormously popular, not only in Paris bistros, but around the world.  And often with popularity comes dilution of quality, which, in the case of Sancerre, has led to many vapid wines that have zestiness but little else. There’s no such dilution with the wines from Domaine Fournier, one of the region’s stellar producers.   This is classic Sancerre, vibrant with the chalky flintiness characteristic of the region.  Long and refined, this wine shows why the category became popular.  If you want to taste authentic Sancerre, pick up a bottle of Fournier’s 2009 Les Belles Vignes. 91 Michael Apstein Jul 19, 2011