Pouilly Fumé and Sancerre
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On either side of the Loire, the heartland of Sauvignon blanc
The Loire is France’s longest river, and the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé observe one another from either side of its half-way mark, quite close to the geographical centre of the country. This area also marks a junction between two wine-growing areas, the Loire Valley and Burgundy, as it lies equi-distant from Chablis and Tours. One can notice an effect of this cultural blending in the grape varieties used here. On the right bank of the Loire, between the sleepy towns of Pouilly-sur-Loire and Tracy, steep slopes climb to a plateau, dotted with the occasional vine-grower’s village such as Saint-Andelain, the highest point of the 1200 hectares (2950 acres) of the Pouilly Fumé appellation. The other half of its name derives from Fumé Blanc, which is a local name given to the sauvignon blanc variety, the only grape authorized in this appellation which only produces white wines. The word fumé means smoky, which is a description of one if the aromas that one can find in these wines, from a grape that is widely planted in Western France. And this same variety is by far the most planted in the larger appellation across the river, and its 2800 hectares (6900 acres) around the town that gives it its name, Sancerre. And yet, if 80% of sancerres are white and come from sauvignon blanc, the remaining 20% are red or rosé and come from pinot noir, the famous Burgundian variety
An export success story
Apart from Burgundy and the top level wines from Champagne, Bordeaux and the Rhône valley, there are very few French appellations which export over half their production. But this is the case for both Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, with the United Kingdom as number one market. What can explain this continuing success story, which has seen the surface area planted to sauvignon blanc in Sancerre go from 660 hectares in 1970 to 2300 today? Probably three main factors: proximity to Paris and extensive presence of the wines of Sancerre in Paris restaurants and wine bars over the years; perhaps also the fact that the word « Sancerre » just rolls off the tongue in most languages; finally the identification, by this word, of a single type of wine (white and dry) and a single grape variety, notwithstanding the considerable progress made in recent years in the quality of the reds and rosés also produced here.
Almost twins
What makes a white sancerre different from a pouilly fumé? Not a great deal, apart from the name, since the local climates are identical, as is the single grape variety. And one can find, in both appellations, a mixture of the same three or four soil types: two variants of limestone, calcereous clay known locally as « white earth », and occasional small pockets of flint, mostly on hilltops. These different soil types produce nuances in the wines rather than radical differences. The real differences, with a given area and grape, between one wine and another are due to the people who produce them. This is the same story all over the world, as quality comes down to the work and judgement of each winemaker. But if one wanted to stretch a point, it could be said that, on the whole, a sancerre tends to seem slightly sharper and crisper than a pouilly fumé, which is correspondingly more seductive in its youthful aromas. The landscapes of Sancerre roll further away from the Loire axis than those of Pouilly. They are also more hilly, punctuated by a series of rocky outcrops of which the highest is the cone that bears the medieval town of Sancerre itself. This town was a protestant bastion during France’s religious wars, and became known as « Petite Rochelle » (in reference to the steadfast resistance of another protestant stronghold, La Rochelle), before falling to Charles IX’s troops in 1573. A certain austerity in the architecture of the town brings back, even today, the memory of these hard times. As one crosses the Loire onto the right bank and the Pouilly region, the landscape somehow softens. The movements of the Loire, which used to be quite violent but was vital for the transport of goods - particularly large quantities of wine -are omnipresent when one wanders around the vineyard area. Bordered on the east by woodlands, and culminating in a sloping plateau, this seems more peaceful than the landscape of Sancerre. Maybe there is a mimetic factor here that also makes its wines taste slightly softer?
Mostly small producers, a string of villages, and a goat’s cheese
Like their Burgundian neighbours to the East and the South, most of the producers in both appellations manage small estates. As in Burgundy, but to a lesser extent, a few negociants such as Saget also play an important part. And some producers, on both sides of the river, purchase grapes or wine on the opposite side to extend their ranges. This is the case, for example, of the Sancerre producer based in Chavignol, Henri Bourgeois, who has a very extensive range of fine wines, or of Michel Redde in Pouilly. Other star producers, such as Alphonse Mellot, have given up their former négociant activities to focus on their own vineyards, which may include neighbouring areas such as Côteaux Charitois, a very old Burgundian vineyard to the east of Pouilly that has recently beeen rescuscitated. Mellot, from Sancerre, and Serge Dagueneau, from Pouilly, are among the pioneers here. Some villages that lie around the symbolic centres, Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire, have acquired themselves high reputations over the years. For example Bué or Chavignol, near Sancerre, or Saint-Andelain or Tracy, in the case of Pouilly. Chavignol is of course also famed fro its goat’s cheese, called Crottin de Chavignol, which harks back to a time when mixed farming was essential to survival for those who didn’t possess a large vineyard. And this cheese has proved to be a perfect match for the local wines, either before or after the various fish dishes that are their natural companions.
Sancerre
Appellation created in 1936 (white), 1959 (red and rosé).
Surface under vine: 2745 hectares (6780 acres) on the left bank of the Loire river. Production 80 % white wine, 15 % red and 5 % rosé.
Grape varieties: sauvignon blanc (whites), pinot noir (red and rosé).
400 independent growers, 25 négociants, one cooperative winery.
Pouilly Fumé
Appellation created in 1937.
Surface under vine: 1245 hectares (3075 acres) on the right bank of the Loire river, producing exclusively white wines.
Grape variety: sauvignon blanc.
130 independent growers, 10 négociants, one cooperative winery.
Our sélection of the best white wines from Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé
Sancerre les Boucards 2006, Claude Riffault
Here the range is as clear-cut and aesthetically pleasing as the design of the labels. Each wine is crisp and clear as a bell, with fruit flavours perfectly defined. In the 2006 vintage, my personal preference leans towards the cuvée called Les Chasseignes, but Les Boucards is easier to find and and is a perfect introduction to the white wines of Sancerre, at a very reasonable price. This producer also makes a very good rosé called La Noue.
France : 8 € ex-cellars by 6 or 12 bottles (Domaine Claude Riffault, tél. : 33 (0)2 48 79 38 22).
Sancerre La Moussière 2006, Alphonse Mellot
Of all Sancerre producers, Alphonse Mellot makes the most precise and coherent range of all, each wine hitting top notch in its style. The reds are also unbeatable and there is an excellent rosé. This is the « basic » wine in the range, whose success has pushed up the price a little, but it is perfect Sancerre.
Pouilly Fumé 2006, Serge Dagueneau et Filles
There are several branches of the Dagueneau family in and around the village of Saint-Andelain. The best known is certainly Didier, who makes exceptional and uncompromising wines that stand apart, including for the elitist prices at which they retail. Serge Dagueneau has handed management of his branch onto his daughters, Florence and Valérie. The wines are as cristal clear as a winter’s morning on the side of the Loire below.
David Cobbold
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