sancerre

Wow, in the UK you get a bottle of something from the Loire for £10, a Sancerre for £20...

I agree with the thrust of your argument but do note that rouge sancerre is definitely a thing (and I quite like it).

Sure, and Sancerre Rouge likewise has varietal requirements.

Is an experienced wine drinker going to mistake Pinot Noir for Sauvignon Blanc, even if they’re both from Sancerre?

The Romans' propensity for planting on hillsides has left archaeological evidence of Gallo-Roman vineyards in the chalk hillsides of Sancerre.

Not a joke at all, I overheard it in a bar in Paris (at the Bar Sancerre, close to La Republic); I thought it mildly amusing.

Maybe you meant Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre?

I've hunted for a Sancerre, Vouvray, or Samur that compares to the 5 euro bottles I found in the bargain bin of a Carrefour in central France, to no avail.

Sancerre is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, red Bordeaux some blend of six permitted grapes, Cab and Merlot being the primary ones (subregions have laws regarding which subset is allowed), Chablis is 100% Chardonnay, Beaujolais is 100% Gamay, Chianti is at least 70% Sangiovese.

I find that there is a sweet spot at about $25 (NYC retail prices) for whites that are noticeably better than cheaper ones -- French whites like Sancerre, decent Chablis, the less fancy Bourgognes; what I think of as new-style California Chardonnays (not oaky, more like French Chards).

Is an experienced wine drinker going to mistake Pinot Noir for Sauvignon Blanc, even if they’re both from Sancerre?

The Romans' propensity for planting on hillsides has left archaeological evidence of Gallo-Roman vineyards in the chalk hillsides of Sancerre.

Not a joke at all, I overheard it in a bar in Paris (at the Bar Sancerre, close to La Republic); I thought it mildly amusing.