Tinel-Blondelet Pouilly-Fumé “L’Arrêt Buffatte” '20

If you’re familiar with Sauvignon Blanc wines from Sancerre but haven’t yet tried any from Pouilly-Fumé, this is a great one to start with. A wine from Pouilly-Fumé can be hard to distinguish from one made in the neighboring, and more well known, appellation of Sancerre, but in general the former tends to be slightly broader and rounder. The appellations sit on opposite sides of the Loire River, and both are influenced by the cool, continental climate and limestone-clay soils with silex, a mixture of clay and flint. Pouilly-Fumé has long been overshadowed by its neighbor for many reasons, but it is home to wines of excellent quality, and arguably better value.

Annick Tinel is the 12th generation in a family of winegrowers, and she began managing the estate in 1983, after graduating with a diploma in enology and viticulture from wine school in Beaune. The estate comprises about 15 hectares of land divided into three appellations, and she is driven to make authentic wines that reflect their origins, taking a lutte raisonnée (sustainable) approach to viticulture.

“L’Arrêt Buffatte” is made from vines that average 45 years in age. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperature, followed by lees stirring. There is no malolactic fermentation. The wine shows grassy and citrusy notes, and has more concentration on the palate than might be expected, with a great balance of minerality, acidity, and ripe fruit character. The 2020 vintage in the Loire was excellent, and this is a great bottle to stock up on and enjoy over the next few years as the wine develops. Try it with any chicken or seafood dish.