I LOVE French wine, particularly the whites of Burgundy and the Loire. You could arguably say that I mention them too often in my articles and in the tastings that we host in our lovely basement on Bath Street. However, when faced with squid on the menu, the wines that sit best with the grub are those of Chablis and Pouilly Fumé.
The commonality between the two distinct styles is the soil, which (in the best vineyards) is Kimmeridgian marl. You’ll also find Portlandian clay in both areas, which helps to provide the trademark acidity seen in both wines. So, you’re looking for minerality in the wine, a smoky, gun-flint aroma and taste. Pierre á fusil in the French, and sooking on a wet stone in the auld Scottish vernacular. This week, we'll mostly focus on the Loire wines, which means we can leave Chablis and Burgundy for next week.
So, Pouilly-Fumé is made from the Sauvignon-Blanc grape near the village of Pouilly-sur-Loire on the right bank of the Loire river directly opposite the Sancerre appellation. Pouilly-Fumé has had its own appellation since 1937 but is often over-shadowed by its more famous sibling. This is a shame, as Pouilly-Fumé boasts fewer vineyards than Sancerre (about half the area at just 1200 hectares), and the whole production of the area is white (and all Sauvignon Blanc) as opposed to Sancerre where you’ll also find Pinot Noir being grown for red and rosé versions. I feel this makes Pouilly-Fumé that wee bit more exclusive.
My current favourite is the Pouilly-Fumé La Loge aux Moines Patrice Moreux 2015 (Inverarity One to One, £16.99). Twelve generations of the Moreux family have been making this wine since 1677, so they really know what they’re doing by now. Patrice has been in charge since 1979, and his sons Arnaud and Julien are both now involved with the business. They don’t make huge quantities of wine, but what they make is seriously good and the La Loge aux Moines is their flagship offering. It’s perfect with luxurious seafood such as lobster, scallops and (of course) squid.
Alternatively, grab a bottle of the Pouilly-Fumé Hubert Brochard 2016 (Waitrose, £14.49) which will tick all of your sooking on a wet stone boxes without overly worrying your wallet. Enjoy!
Pete Stewart is Glasgow director of Inverarity One to One, 185a Bath Street, Glasgow www.inveraritymorton.com
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