Gerard Boulay, Sancerre Comtesse, 2017 AFKATT_2025 it's the Pinot Noir of

it's the Pinot Noir of Burgundy that really inspires Niko Brandner

ten years on it is starting to open

and blood orange unfold alongside leather

and it spends four years in 50- to 100-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks and another year in bottle before release

drinking well now with more to come

Gerard Boulay, Sancerre Comtesse, 2017 AFKATT_2025 it's the Pinot Noir ofThe apex of Grard Boulay's range, and the powerhouse of the pair at the top of his range. Comtesse comes from vines 50 to 75 years old planted at the bottom of the Monts Damns slope deeper argilo calcaire, maximum sun exposure, one of Chavignol's warmest spots, just along from Vatan's Clos La Nore and Boulay has only bottled it separately since 2005. Where his La Cte is linear and chiselled, this is broad shouldered and dense. The bouquet weaves