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Francis Blanchet, Pouilly-Fumé, “Cuvée Silice”

Loire Valley, France 2016 (750mL)
$23.00
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Francis Blanchet, Pouilly-Fumé, “Cuvée Silice”

Here at SommSelect, we seek out wines that showcase the traditional styles of classic regions, and when it comes to Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Francis Blanchet is one of our go-to producers. The degree of minerality in today’s “Cuvée Silice” is staggering and it provides one of the finest and purest representations of the variety I’ve encountered recently. The newly-released 2016 is the best vintage I’ve tasted from Francis Blanchet, and the best part of all is this wine’s price—it still remains under $25.


Francis recognizes that his small-production wines are highly sought after (his front door is surely imprinted by the knuckles of a thousand importers), so you’d think one of two outcomes would occur—an increase in production or ramped-up prices. Some producers get away with both, but Francis hasn’t done either, and, somehow, the quality keeps increasing. If you thought previous vintages were firing on all cylinders—as I did—wait until you open up this 2016—it’s a full-throttle Pouilly-Fumé that shows off unique terroir and purity of fruit. We said this two years ago and we’ll say it again: Cuvée Silice is one of the most affordable ‘collectible’ wines we’ve ever offered. Pounce on this delicious wine; I promise that it’s versatility will satisfy the most stubborn of palates. Due to its popularity here, we’ve secured enough for case purchases this time around.


Francis Blanchet has an ‘only-in-France pedigree’: his extended family has been growing Sauvignon Blanc in Pouilly-Fumé since the 1700s (they are said to still have the original deed for the purchase of the vineyards). Today, Francis still remains active, but his son Mathieu has since joined the ranks, representing the eighth generation. Despite their history, the estate remains rather modest in size at ~23 acres and sustainable farming is always in mind. Furthermore, Francis himself planted the vineyard for “Cuvée Silice” back in 1987.
 

“Silice” refers to silex, or silica, the crushed flint-stone that dominates the soils of Pouilly-Fumé. Mixed with clay and/or sandstone over a base of Kimmeridgian limestone, Silex is what gives the wines of the region their distinctively smoky, “gunflint” minerality (‘Fumé’ means ‘smoked,’ an apt name for this wine village). Sourced within the village of Saint-Andelain—where Didier Dagueneau is located—this small, single-vineyard boasts the greatest concentration of pure silex and sits at the highest elevation in the Pouilly-Fumé AOC. Striking together two stones in Blanchet’s vineyards or simply smelling the wine will trigger the nostalgic smell for those who owned a cap gun when they were young. The old-vine fruit is hand harvested and fermented using only ambient yeasts in stainless steel, after which it ages in tank for seven months with a bâtonnage (lees-stirring) regimen.
 

The 2016 Cuvée Silice seems to soak up the light, showing a brilliant pale straw and silver core with glints of green leading out to the rim. It leads with an array of freshly cut green peach, meyer lemon, and kaffir lime, followed by notes of passionfruit, papaya, yellow peach skin, and white flowers. There is gripping minerality broadcasted here too: crushed flint and wet stone dominate the mid palate and lingering accents of smoke and white pepper push into a lengthy finish. While some steely Loire Valley Sancerre’s can cause you to go into a state of shock,  Cuvée Silice is always refreshingly rounded with creamy layers—there’s no need to brace yourself here. Still, you should expect a racy amount of fruit with an expression of terroir that few other regions and producers could ever hope to replicate. It will evolve gracefully over the next 5-7 years, but this is a joy to drink now. I recommend a brief 30 minute decant to shed any nervous energy and serving in all-purpose white stems around 50-55 degrees. Pair it alongside the attached shrimp risotto dish—the chèvre sets it off! Cheers.
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Country
France
Region
Loire Valley
Sub-Region
FrancePouilly-Fumé
Soil
Silex
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
None — Stainless Steel
TEMP.
50-55
Glassware
All-Purpose White
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
20-30 Minutes
Pairing
Spring Risotto w/ Shrimp

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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