Wine: LaCheteau Pouilly Fume Les Closiers

Country: France

Region: Loire Valley

Designation: Pouilly Fume AOC

Brand/Producer: LaCheteau

Grape Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 12.5%

Type: White

Code: 1841

Tasting Note

Elegant floral aromas and exotic lychees have a contrasting hint of flint and whiff of subtle smokiness. The palate is well balanced with crisp citrus and exotic fruits like ripe mango. This is a medium bodied wine with subtle dryness and a lingering grapefruit finish.

Producer

LaCheteau is first and foremost a family business founded by André Lacheteau in 1987, based in Anjou. André has built a reputation which stretches far beyond the French borders thanks to his dynamism and passion for the Loire terroirs. LaCheteau is exported to over 50 countries and the portfolio covers all regions of the Loire Valley from the Pays Nantais (the Muscadet region) to Anjou and Saumur, Touraine and the vineyards of the Centre area (Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé).

Winemaking

The vineyards in the Central Loire are located on slopes of the Loire Valley with Sancerre on the western side and Pouilly Fume to the east of the river. 

The Sauvignon Blanc grapes for this Pouilly Fume are sourced from the Les Closiers vineyard on the right bank of the Loire which has flinty silex soils. Winemaking focuses on the integrity of fruit aromas and flavours so fermentation takes place in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks and lasts for 20 days to enhance the body and depth of flavor of the finished wine. Maturation takes place on the lees at a cool temperature for several months before filtration and bottling

Fun Fact

The Pouilly Fume wine region takes its name from the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire (Pouilly on the Loire river). Fume is French for “smoke” and it is often thought that this refers to subtle smoky and flinty notes found in the wine, however, these notes are also present in Sancerre grown on stony flint soils. Fume is also thought to refer to the dusky grey colour of the Sauvignon Blanc grapes, but the most popular theory refers to the morning mist which rises from the Loire river on humid summer mornings.  The mist rolls up the slopes of the Pouilly Fume vineyards at dawn and the reflection of the rising sun creates an illusion of smoke among the vines.

Food pairing

As a medium bodied wine, this goes very well with white meat and poultry as well as richer fish and seafood dishes.