2024 Les Plasire De Sophie Chardonnay VdF, Loire Valley, France

Behind every great wine is a great question. For Sophie Bertin, that question was simply: “Dare I not?”

Les Plaisirs de Sophie was born from the meeting of two passionate people in the heart of Sancerre country: Éric Louis, established Sancerre wine-grower and négociant, and Sophie Bertin, a woman deeply rooted in the Loire Valley and its winemaking traditions. Sophie — whose name means wisdom in Greek — brought not only wisdom to their collaboration but also the willingness to challenge. “Dare I not?” she would ask. “Challenge accepted,” Éric would reply. Together they created something neither would have made alone: a more feminine, supple, and elegantly expressive Chardonnay — a wine of subtlety, balance, and genuine joy. Sophie’s wine was born.

The result is a fresh, gourmand Chardonnay from the Loire Valley that wears its origins beautifully: no malolactic fermentation, no barrels, aged on the lees for a lengthy period that builds both crisp minerality and rounded suppleness. Magnificent subdued yellow with a subtle glint of green, aromas of citrus, ripe peach, and delicate white flowers, and a palate that is wrapped, balanced, and elegant with a zesty, refreshing finish. A woman-owned Loire Valley Chardonnay at $24 that delivers far beyond its price — and a 2025 Shades of Vino Autumn Club selection worthy of the season.

Wine Details & Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes: Magnificent subdued yellow with a subtle glint of green. Aromas of citrus, yellow fruits (peach), and subtle hints of white flowers. The palate is wrapped, balanced, and elegant with a zesty freshness and a clean, mineral-driven finish.

• Origin – Loire Valley, Vin de France (VdF), France (Sancerre country; Loire Valley terroir)
• Producer – Sophie Bertin Wines; woman-owned; co-created by Sophie Bertin and Éric Louis (Sancerre wine-grower and négociant); a cuvée born from collaboration, wisdom, and the spirit of “dare I not?”
• Varietal – Chardonnay (100%)
• Winemaking – No malolactic fermentation; no barrels; extended aging on the lees for crisp minerality and rounded suppleness
• Style – Dry white wine (fresh; mineral-driven; elegant; lees-aged)
• ABV – 13.0%

Food Pairing

The citrus, peach, white flowers, and mineral-driven freshness of this Loire Valley Chardonnay make it a beautifully versatile companion for lighter, elegant dishes where the wine’s delicacy can shine. Pairs beautifully with oysters, grilled sole, and pan-seared scallops — the minerality and zesty acidity mirror the brine of fresh shellfish exquisitely. The rounded suppleness from lees aging makes it a wonderful match for creamy goat cheese, brie, and soft rind cheeses from the Loire. Also excellent alongside roasted chicken, herb-dressed salads, and light pasta dishes with cream or lemon. A natural for autumn entertaining, wine club selections, and any occasion that calls for an elegant, food-friendly white that rewards attention without demanding it. Serve at 46–50°F.

Occasion

This is your go-to Loire Valley Chardonnay — the bottle for Shades of Vino Club selections, autumn entertaining, and gifting the white wine lover who appreciates elegant, mineral-driven French winemaking from a woman-owned collaboration built on wisdom, challenge, and the quiet confidence to ask “dare I not?” A gourmand, crowd-pleasing Chardonnay at an outstanding everyday price.

Wine Producer / Historical Notes

Les Plaisirs de Sophie was created through the collaboration of Éric Louis — a respected Sancerre wine-grower and négociant with deep roots in the Loire Valley — and Sophie Bertin, a woman whose connection to the Sancerre region is both personal and profound. Sophie means wisdom in Greek, and it is wisdom that defines her approach to winemaking: the wisdom to ask the right questions, to challenge assumptions, and to imagine a wine more feminine, more supple, and more elegantly expressive than convention might have allowed. “Dare I not?” was Sophie’s recurring challenge to Éric — and “challenge accepted” was his consistent reply. The result is a cuvée that carries her name, her spirit, and her conviction that great wine begins with the courage to ask what’s possible.

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