Mineral tour de force. Sumptuous citrus explosion. Rip-roaring acidity. These are just a few descriptors for Marc Deschamps Pouilly-Fumés, and although I’ve deeply admired them throughout my career, I firmly believe his superior lineup of 2017s comfortably exists in Loire Valley’s upper crust. Once cloaked in mystery, these small-production wines have burst onto the scene in recent years due to their ability to display the chiseled, piercing minerality of elite Sancerre bottlings and the fascinating, multi-dimensional texture of Premier Cru Chablis. 

For those who leaped at the opportunity to acquire Deschamps’ “Champs de Cri” earlier in the year, you should utilize those quick reflexes yet again: “Les Vignes de Berge” is a small parcel rooted in famous terres blanches soils which, thanks to Marc’s deft touch in the cellar, offers a convincing explanation of why Pouilly-Fumé is one of the long-reigning kings of terroir-driven wine. If you have yet to experience the deep stimulation and gustatory thrills of a delicious, classically built Sauvignon Blanc, here’s your $32 opportunity to acquire one of the greats. It is rare to see more than 250 cases imported to America in any given year. 

It’s fair to say that Pouilly-Fumé hasn’t been the hippest wine (aside from Dagueneau) for a few decades. So, until recently, when The Wine Advocate consecrated Marc Deschamps’ property with an extremely flattering series of reviews, many wine professionals had never heard of him. Marc is a low-key, bespectacled fellow who has spent the last three decades quietly working the same small cluster of vineyards in the sleepy Loire Valley hamlet of Les Loges—a place said to be the envy of all the producers in Pouilly Fumé. Marc farms a modest 8.5-hectare collection of vineyards rooted in chalky, Kimmeridgian marl (a.k.a. terre blanche) planted predominantly to Sauvignon Blanc and a small amount of Chasselas. Four of his parcels in Les Loges are labeled under the Pouilly-Fumé appellation: “La Côte,” “Les Griottes,” “Champs de Cri,” and today’s “Les Vignes de Berge,” a 3.5-hectare lieu-dit that’s home to vines greater than 40 years old. 

In the cellar, alcoholic fermentation—malolactic is naturally blocked due to the naturally high acidity of his grapes—and the subsequent aging of today’s wine both occur in stainless steel vats. While the majority of this region’s wine is rushed to bottle in order to be a “first-mover,” Marc waits many months longer before even racking his wine off its lees. He then allows them to hibernate until autumn. I cannot stress enough how much depth and character this slow, thoughtful process adds to the wine, and how important it is in terms of distinguishing Marc’s classic and extraordinarily complex style. This is a product of unwavering integrity and terroir expression, and we are grateful for it! 

Let me first state that Deschamps’ 2017 “Vignes de Berges” is in a prime drinking window at four years old—it’s absolutely smoking right now. While a decant is optional, I recommend giving the wine about five minutes of air in the glass with several vigorous swirls. Then, dip your nose in to discover lush, high-toned aromatics of Kaffir lime, gooseberry, white peach, green mango, pomelo, lees, lemon curd, and a hint of herbaceousness, all of which clings to a powerful and piercing backbone of crushed chalk, struck flint, and wet stones. The palate is ripe and medium-bodied with mouthwatering layers of citrus and tropical fruits alongside an ever-churning mineral core. This is top-shelf Pouilly-Fumé for $32—don’t let it pass you by! Enjoy now and over the next 2-3 years.