Francis Blanchet Pouilly Fumé Calcite, Loire Valley, France

Producer

Francis Blanchet’s signature style is pure, smoky, mineral-led Pouilly-Fume.

How do they capture the essence of that well known AOC? By using the best of three key terroirs: kimmeridgian marls for richness, silex (flinty clay) for age-worthiness and clay limestone for elegance. Working with these special soils has inspired Blanchet to do their utmost to look after them. The past 25 years have been spent focusing on promoting biodiversity in their vineyards, with careful vineyard management to minimise the need for spraying.

All of the vines used for their coveted “Silice” cuvee are situated in the quaint village of St. Andelain, which boasts the largest percentage of silex soil in the entire Pouilly Fume appellation, and makes for powerful, bone-dry wines with that gun-flint character we all know and love.