2022 Francis Blanchet "Kriotine" Pouilly-Fumé, Loire Valley, France (750ml)
For this wine, 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes from 20-year-old vines were hand harvested and gently whole-cluster pressed in a horizontal, pneumatic press, with the juice fed to tanks via gravity. The must was fermented by indigenous yeasts and aged on the fine lees in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks, the goal being to preserve Sauvignon Blanc’s naturally vibrant aromas and flavors. Aromas of crushed oyster shells, tallow fruit and citrus. Wonderful texture with bright flavors of stone fruit, underripe guava, Mirabelle plum, grapefruit pith and cantaloupe rind. The long, juicy finish is supported by a slightly chalky minerality and a hint of flint.
Since the early 1990s, winemaker Francis Blanchet has crafted a special selection of pure Sauvignon Blanc from fruit selected from flint-rich vineyards. This unique terroir announces itself explosively: knock two vineyard stones together and you can’t help but be bowled over by the aroma of firecracker smoke. Indeed, fumé means “smoked” in French, which gives you more than a hint of why Sauvignon Blanc from Blanchet in this charmed appellation across the river from Sancerre is so energetic and mineral-driven.
Now that Francis’ son, Mathieu, has joined the winery, the Blanchet family can count eight generations of winemakers among its ranks. This centuries-plus dedication to the soul of the Loire and the character of Sauvignon Blanc make the Blanchet clan a reliable source for the true voice of this expressive wine grape. In addition to the special flint-soil, Francis has identified unique plots of land—whether with older, Massal selection vines or Kriotine, from chalky limestone soils—and bottled them separately. Attention to terroir is what sets Blanchet Sauvignon Blanc apart from more basic regional bottlings. Their wines offer a pure, unadulterated taste of Sauvignon Blanc. ‘Kriotine’ is a fanciful name inspired by the word ‘criot,’ which in local dialect describes a vineyard terroir with many white stones.
Blanchet cares for the vines sustainably, avoiding chemicals. The estate regularly plows vineyard rows, and plants beneficial herbs to control weed growth and stimulate vines’ roots to dig deeper into the soil. Interestingly, estate vines, following DNA testing, have proved to be some of the oldest existing clones of Sauvignon Blanc—the true “mother” rootstock of Loire Sauvignon. Many of these vines are plantings from original rootstock planted by Francis Blanchet’s grandparents.
