Pouilly Fume MCMLV 2022 Domaine du Bouchot

Tasting Notes

First impression is smoke and flint, the Pouilly-Fumé's silex character is brought to the forefront by the concentration of old vines. This is followed by notes of ripe citrus, yellow stone fruit and a salty, almost iodine quality driven by Kimmeridge marl. The palate is dense, with a touch of creaminess caused by the long aging on lees, and the acidity is softer than in cooler vintages, but holds up to the finish. Drink from 2025 and keep until 2030.

Grape Varieties

100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Why does one grape variety in particular require an explanation? Because Silex Sauvignon Blanc is unlike any other Sauvignon Blanc: the MCMLV vines were planted in 1955 (hence the Roman numerals), and the old roots go deep into flint and Kimmeridge marl. This is where the smoky, flinty character comes from. Young vines can't draw as much from these depths.

Cellaring Potential

Drink between 2025 and 2032; 2022 has the concentration and depth of older vines for aging, but this warm vintage has low acidity and will not age as well as cooler years such as 2021; store at 12-14°C. Over time, the smoke will deepen and the citrus will migrate to honey and dried herbs.

The Producer

Domaine du Bouchot is a small estate in Pouilly-Fumé that is thoroughly committed to its own way of doing things. Antoine Gufier took over in 2018 after 12 years working abroad, including Michel Rolland in Argentina and Duncan Savage in South Africa. He returned to the first certified organic farm in Pouilly-Fumé in 2009, and in 2022 the estate was named "Discovery of the Year" by La Revue du Vin de France. Gufier is one of the most exciting young producers in the Loire today.

Terroir & Climate

Saint-Andrand sits on a hill studded with flint, silex and its smoky characteristics that gave Pouilly-Fumé its name. Why it matters: when two flint stones strike each other, they produce sparks and smoke. The vines take this feature into the grapes. Bouchaud also works with cayote (shallow stony limestone) and terre blanche (heavy kimmeridge clay with high marine fossil content). The vineyard is on a single southwestern slope, and the climate is semi-continental, with the Loire moderating the cold.

Winemaking

Antoine Gouffier's rules in the cellar are simple. The wines are harvested by hand and fermentation begins spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Most of the wine is fermented in stainless steel, but a small amount goes into French oak barrels or amphorae (clay vessels that are still rare in the region). This combination makes the difference. The stainless steel retains the citrus and flint notes, the oak adds texture, and the amphoras give rounded flavors and savory notes. The vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic. This is not a refined Sauvignon. It is lively.

Food Pairing

Smoke and saltiness require food with fat and brine. There are several directions:

• Crottin de Chavignol, a local goat cheese. There is a reason for the classic.
• Grilled oysters or sea bass with lemon.
• Loire River fish, sandre (pikeperch) with beurre blanc.
• White asparagus with hollandaise sauce.

Serve chilled at 10-12°C. If served too chilled, the flint flavor will be lost.