Domaine Francis Blanchet 'Calcite' Pouilly-Fumé 2025

In Short

A crisp, mineral Sauvignon Blanc from Pouilly-Fumé with gunflint and citrus, built on the flinty calcite soils that define the appellation.

Quick Facts

• Region: Pouilly-Fumé, Loire Valley, France
• Vineyard: Calcite
• Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
• Style: Crisp white
• Best For: Aperitifs, weeknight dinners

Why We Stock It

Pouilly-Fumé sits at the heart of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, and this bottling lets you taste exactly why: the calcite soils give the wine its distinctive flinty character and mineral grip. We stock it because it does what it should do without reaching, and at this price it is a straightforward argument for the region.

Tasting Profile

This wine opens with mineral precision and moves through layers of citrus and herb.

• Aroma: Gunflint, citrus, white peach
• Palate: Crisp, herbaceous, saline minerality
• Structure & Finish: Bright acidity, clean and persistent finish with subtle smoky complexity

Winemaking

The wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve its aromatic clarity and mineral character. Regional practice in Pouilly-Fumé favours cool fermentation to keep the wine fresh and expressive of its limestone and calcite soils.

Serving & Pairing

Serve between 48 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit. It needs no decanting. Pair it with oysters and raw shellfish, where the salinity and acidity feel natural, or with a simple roasted chicken and herbs for a quieter weeknight meal. The wine's mineral edge and herbaceous notes cut through richness without demanding it.

The Estate

Domaine Francis Blanchet is a grower in Pouilly-Fumé, working vineyards on the calcite-rich soils that the estate's single-vineyard bottlings are named for. The domaine focuses on expressing terroir through careful viticulture and straightforward winemaking.

Terroir

Pouilly-Fumé sits on the right bank of the Loire in the Nièvre department, its reputation built on calcite and limestone soils that give Sauvignon Blanc a distinctive gunflint minerality. The calcite vineyard in particular sits on white limestone subsoil, which reflects heat and pushes ripeness while holding acidity. The cool continental climate and morning fog off the river keep the wines fresh and crisp.