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www.cheersonline.com 23 May 2015 • Lucien Crochet 2013 Sancerre Croix du Roy. "Branzino would be delightful with classic Sancerre," says Lathtrop. "Sancerre often features a bright, herbal quality that is unique to the region and will make an herb-stuffed branzino sing." JOHN RAGAN, M.S., UNION SQUARE HOSPITALITY GROUP, NEW YORK Depending on the mood or the occasion, sauvignon blanc can either be shorthand for crisp, fresh, easy-to-drink white wine or a passport to adventure—like a stroll in the vineyards of Chavignol in France's Sancerre appellation, for instance. "There is a spot where wine transcends being a refreshing beverage and tells a story and speaks of a place and time," says John Ragan, master sommelier/director of wine and restaurant operations for Union Square Hospitality Group in New York. "One of the reasons sauvignon blanc is so important is that it can fight on both of those levels." Great Sauvignon is often less expensive than great chardonnay, because its elevage, or winemaking process, is shorter and it usually does not require new oak barrels, says Ragan. He oversees the wine programs of several New York dining destinations including Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, Marta and Maialino. "Even the best bottlings from Pascal Cotat [Sancerre] and Didier Dagueneau [Pouilly-Fumé], two winemakers in the epicenter of sauvignon blanc on the planet, will be priced between $85 and $200 on a wine list," says Ragan. "For the best chardonnay on the planet, you would add another zero or two." Yet there is value at lower price points, too. "The straightforward glass of Sancerre for $13 or $14, or the simpler $9 glass from another place, can deliver a lot of pleasure," Ragan says. He finds that some of the most distinctive sauvignons these days are coming out of Italy's Friuli. Winemakers there are exploring a variety of blends, oak treatments and vineyard practices. "For me, those different takes are what makes that region so interesting," Ragan says. Given sauvignon blanc's crisp, fruity character, matching it with summer ingredients is "a no-brainer," Ragan says. Salads, foods with herbaceous notes and seafood dishes are likely partners. At The Modern, the cauliflower cooked in crab butter with almond, lemon and tarragon, meets its soul mate in Pascal Cotat 2013 Les Monts Damnés Sancerre, priced at $120 a bottle. Ragan notes that the generous acidity of the Cotat answers the richness of the crab butter and its citrus and herbal nuances echo the lemon and tarragon in the dish. And at Union Square Café, the Cara Cara orange salad with pine nuts, ricotta salata and fennel vinaigrette is happily married with Lieu Dit 2013 Santa Ynez Valley sauvignon blanc, priced at $65. The wine "dances with the oranges and work really well with the fennel and ricotta," says Ragan. James Scarpa covers food, beverage and the business of restaurants from Chicago. The Modern, run by New York-based Union Square Hospitality Group, pairs cauliflower cooked in crab butter with almond, lemon and tarragon (shown left), with Pascal Cotat 2013 Les Monts Damnés Sancerre. The company's Union Square Café will match its Cara Cara orange salad, with pine nuts, ricotta salata and fennel vinaigrette (right), with a Lieu Dit 2013 Santa Ynez Valley sauvignon blanc. Shaker & Spear, a new seafood spot in Seattle from Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, is considering pairing its herb-stuffed branzino with Domaine Lucien Crochet 2013 Sancerre Croix du Roy this summer.