2016 Domaine Tabordet "Calcis" Pouilly Fumé

Nestled in the village of Verdigny, Domain Tabordet is run by brothers Yvon and Pascal Tabordet, who took the reins back in 1981. When the two brothers first took over the estate it consisted of three hectares (7.4 acres) in Sancerre. By 1988 they had added another 4.5 hectares of Sancerre and another 12 hectares (29.7 acres) in neighboring Pouilly-Fumé, just across the Loire River. Wine growing in Pouilly-Fumé dates back to the fifth century when the Romans dominated the area. In 1937 it became an official Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) of France. Wine called Pouilly-Fumé is required to be 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The soils here have a similar character to those of Sancerre, but one of the defining characteristics of Pouilly-Fumé wines is the smoky, flinty aromas (fumé). These aromas come from the high concentration of silex, a.k.a. flint, found in the soil here. By taking a very simple but well-focused approach to farming and vinification, Domaine Tabordet does a really fantastic job of letting the grape and all of its character shine through.