Pouilly Fume Domaine Chauveau

Domaine Chauveau is run by Benoit with his wife Emmanuelle Chauveau in the little hamlet of St Andelain. This comprises of a dozen hectares (30 acres) on various types of soil.  They sell just 90,000 bottles a year, essentially to the hotel and restaurant sector and to small independents throughout Europe. Their approach is to continually strive to improve the quality of the wines through the development of sustainable methods, using a strict minimum of products to treat the vines against the disease.

The name Pouilly Fumé (Fumé meaning smoked) refers to both the grape variety and the terroir. The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are covered with a gray, smoky bloom when they are ripe. This is why they are also known as Blanc Fumé or smoked white. The name also comes from the wine’s flinty tang, said to be reminiscent of a flint-lock pistol striking, which originates from the flint-rich soil found around Pouilly-sur-Loire.