Pouilly-Fumé AOC is an appellation dating from 1937, however the region’s hills have been planted with vines for over a thousand years. The wine is a powerfully perfumed 100% Sauvignon Blanc dry white wine from opposite Sancerre in the Central Vineyards area of the Loire Valley in France. Pouilly-Fumé (or Blanc Fumé de Pouilly, Pouilly Blanc Fumé) comes from exactly the same geographic area as Pouilly-sur-Loire AOC but the latter is made from Chasselas (de Moissac) rather than from Sauvignon Blanc.

The name: Pouilly-Fumé derives its name partly from Pouilly-sur-Loire, one of seven communes in the Nièvre (58) department on the Loire’s right bank which comprise this appellation (see below), and partly from a characteristic smoky ‘gunflint’ (pierre à fusil in French) character the wines are said to exhibit, ‘fumé’ meaning smoked in French. Other typical flavours include gooseberry and green tomato. 

Communes (7): Garchy. | Mesves-sur-Loire. | Pouilly-sur-Loire. | Saint-Andelain. | Saint-Laurent-l’Abbaye. | Saint-Martin-sur-Nohain. | Tracy-sur-Loire. 

Wine production & vineyard area: 2002 1,070ha (Guide Hachette: 2004, p.982).