Joseph Mellot Pouilly-Fume Le Troncsec, Loire, France 2023

The Pouilly-Fumé vineyard dates back to the Gallo-Roman times as there are remains of the Roman road passing through the village of Pouilly-sur-Loire. From the 12th century, the Augustinian and Benedictine monks were at the origin of the development of this vineyard. White wine used to be their Mass so they developed the cultivation of vines. Then, in 1642, the opening of the Briare canal will give a new momentum to Pouilly-Fumé wines as these waterways will enable to transport them to Fontainebleau, Versailles, Paris, and even as far as England where the nobility and bourgeoisie enjoyed them very much.

Pouilly-Fumé wines are white and only made from Sauvignon blanc. On limestone soils, grapes ripening earlier, the wines are fresh and lively with broom and grapefruit aromas. While on the Kimmeridgian marl soils, the vine being less sensitive to climate variations, Sauvignon gives wines able to age longer with subtle floral and fruit aromas. As for the soils made of flint and clay, they produce soft and supple white wines with an appealing gun-flint nose, typical of this terroir.

This single vineyard Pouilly Fumé made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc shows delicate mineral notes balanced with flavours of mango and citrus. Le Tronsec is a single vineyard of 9.5 hectares, located in the commune of Saint Laurent l'Abbaye. The vines are planted on soils primarily composed of Kimmeridgian limestone marl. This is typified by a stoney surface and clay deeper down. All vineyard processes are carried out in an environmental manner, adapted for each terroir.