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Pouilly-Fumé
The Loire Valley is not only a vast French wine region but also a varied one. The wines found near the Atlantic Coast look and taste different from what you’ll discover near the Parisian Basin.
One of the most exciting wines in the Loire comes from Pouilly-Fumé, a renowned appellation specialising in mineral dry white wine. No proper restaurant wine list is complete without a few wine selections from the region, and wine lovers worldwide have enjoyed these refreshing wines for decades.
It is also one of the purest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, and although the grape has found a home in nearly every wine-producing country, its spiritual home is still the Loire Valley, and the vineyards in Pouilly-Fumé are its ancestral birthplace.
The Pouilly-Fumé Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée was created in 1937 to protect the wine style made in an area covering 1400 hectares in seven communes in the department of Nièvre along the Loire River. The parallel appellation Pouilly-sur-Loire covers 30 hectares in the area but specialises in a distinctive wine style — white wine made with Chasselas grapes.
Over 100 wineries call the appellation home, most of which are small, family-owned estates; many are generations old. Together, the winemaking community releases 10 million bottles of wine annually, and they’re all committed to the environment. Many wineries in the area farm their vineyards organically, while others are fully committed to sustainable practices. The result is superior fruit that reflects the land’s unique properties.
Production of Pouilly-Fumé Wine
The term Fumé means smoke thanks to a smoky, almost flinty attribute in the region’s wines, most probably derived from the region’s soils. Of course, there are other explanations. Sauvignon Blanc’s local synonym is Blanc Fumé.
To make Pouilly-Fumé, the many number of producers harvest and press their grapes and vinify the resulting juice in stainless-steel vats. After clarifying and filtering the wine, winemakers might allow the wine to mature, often in steel or old oak, before bottling. The result is a clean and crisp white wine with subtle fruit scents and unmistakable minerality.
Grape Varieties
Winemakers grow only two grapes in Pouilly-Fumé and adjacent Pouilly-sur-Loire. Sauvignon Blanc for the first and Chasselas for the latter. Sauvignon Blanc comes from the French term 'Sauvage', which means wild. The white grape might have been found growing wild along the Loire River before being domesticated and adopted as the region’s flagship varietal.
Sauvignon grapes retain high acidity and produce wines with herbal, citrus and mineral. Still, when grown in warm climates, it shows tropical fruit scents redolent of lychee, guava and grapefruit. A smell that can only be described as cat’s pee is also prevalent in Sauvignon Blanc and is more appealing than it sounds. Of course, only Sauvignon from Pouilly-Fumé displays a characteristic smoky or flinty scent.
Sauvignon’s herbaceousness is worth exploring deeper. The grape has considerable amounts of what winemakers and sommeliers call pyrasines, organic compounds in Sauvignon and its offspring, including Cabernet Sauvignon. In wines made with Sauvignon Blanc, these green scents can come off as fresh-cut grass, jalapeno peppers, asparagus, nettles and green bell peppers. These scents make Sauvignon, especially if French, easy to spot in a blind wine tasting scenario.
Buy Pouilly-Fumé Wine from Hourlier Wines
We’ve established long-lasting relationships with some of the most talented winemakers in the area to offer you a reliable image of the classic wine region.
Pouilly-Fumé: Domaine Masson-Blondelet Villa Paulus
The Masson Blondelet family has been making wine in the region for seven generations, with 21 hectares of vines planted in some of the best terroirs in the appellation. Their Villa Paulus is made with grapes grown in the area’s white Kimmeridgian soils. This is one of the estate’s finest, smoothest and most persistent wines and can be enjoyed for up to six years. Expect snow pea scents, unripe mango and green apple flavours over a mineral palate blessed by citrus undertones. Enjoy with white fish and creamy sauces.
Pouilly-Fumé: Domaine Masson-Blondelet Tradition Cullus
Domaine Masson Blondelet’s Tradition Cullus is made with fruit from the estate’s oldest vines. The wine also spends time in oak, resulting in a bold and sophisticated white wine brimming with citrus, white fruit and subtle herbaceousness over a rich, structured palate. Best enjoyed with foie gras, duck breast and caramelised fruit.
FAQ
Where does Pouilly-Fumé wine originate?
The wines come from a delimitated region in the Loire Valley around the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire, where people have cultivated grapes for making wine since the 5th century. The appellation that protects and promotes the wine style covers 1400 hectares of vines tended by just over 100 wineries - The wines are sold in over 130 countries!
What does Pouilly-Fumé wine taste like?
This is a French appellation reserved for dry white wines made with Sauvignon Blanc. The wines are rarely aged or fermented in oak, so you can always expect a clean wine with citrus fruit, minerality and unique herbaceous-ness. Wines from the region are also known for displaying a unique smoke scent redolent of the smoke produced with the friction of flint stones.
Which food groups pair well with Pouilly-Fumé wine?
It has high acidity and a relatively neutral palate, making it versatile at the table. These white wines are perfect pairings for white fish, raw oysters, clams, mussels and shrimp. 'Fume' provides a palate-cleansing freshness that accentuates seafood from a grilled fish fillet to sushi. Besides seafood, the region’s wines are well suited for fresh and curd cheese, olive oil-based pasta and vegetarian dishes.
