Jean Pabiot
Domaine des Fines Caillottes Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc
Pouilly-Fumé, Central Vineyards, Loire Valley, France
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. In the glass the wine is a pale straw color with a silver rim. Medium viscosity with no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is very expressive or grapefruit, lime, and lemons withs some grassy, herbal qualities, yellow flowers and flint minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with acidity that I perceive as high. Confirming the notes from the nose. Finish is medium+. I don’t get any obvious use of oak…it would have to be extremely judicious if at all. Initial conclusion: this could be Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Albariño or maybe even Chardonnay from France, California, Germany or Spain. But I don’t get the petrol thing I associate with Riesling and it’s missing the white flowers and lanolin for Chenin. Not enough salinity for Albariño and the acid just seems too high for Chardonnay, even from Chablis. I think the structure is the key here. Final conclusion, this is a Sauvignon Blanc, from France, from the Loire, from Sancerre, 2020 vintage. Welp…at least I was in the right ballpark! This was a wine full of energy and one I would be happy to drink again. Drink now to enjoy its lovely fruit and acid. As a side note, it’s becoming harder and harder to find distinction from Old World and New World (which is probably why the CMS has stopped using the terms altogether), particularly with Sauvignon Blanc. A combination of climate change and winemaking has certainly blurred the lines.
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. In the glass the wine is a pale straw color with a silver rim. Medium viscosity with no signs of particles or gas. On the nose, the wine is very expressive or grapefruit, lime, and lemons withs some grassy, herbal qualities, yellow flowers and flint minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with acidity that I perceive as high. Confirming the notes from the nose. Finish is medium+. I don’t get any obvious use of oak…it would have to be extremely judicious if at all. Initial conclusion: this could be Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Albariño or maybe even Chardonnay from France, California, Germany or Spain. But I don’t get the petrol thing I associate with Riesling and it’s missing the white flowers and lanolin for Chenin. Not enough salinity for Albariño and the acid just seems too high for Chardonnay, even from Chablis. I think the structure is the key here. Final conclusion, this is a Sauvignon Blanc, from France, from the Loire, from Sancerre, 2020 vintage. Welp…at least I was in the right ballpark! This was a wine full of energy and one I would be happy to drink again. Drink now to enjoy its lovely fruit and acid. As a side note, it’s becoming harder and harder to find distinction from Old World and New World (which is probably why the CMS has stopped using the terms altogether), particularly with Sauvignon Blanc. A combination of climate change and winemaking has certainly blurred the lines.