Francis Blanchet Pouilly-Fumé Vieilles Vignes 2023

Some of my favorite wines simply transport you to a different place altogether – almost like magic. I took a sip of this Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc and could immediately picture drinking the flinty, citrusy stuff on the cobblestone streets of Paris, tucked into a charming patio seat while watching the city bustle past. I could see myself laughing with friends, splitting the bottle, and sharing a snack of Comte cheese, herby olives, and a baguette. The best wines are ones that aren’t just meant to be drunk but – like this one – woven into memories.

To craft this, Domaine Francis Blanchet took a selection of the estate’s oldest, 80-plus-year-old vines on a flint-stone plot outside the small village of Les Berthiers, across the Loire River from Sancerre – and like most Pouilly-Fumé wines, the terroir is evident, as smoky, matchstick aromas unfurl from the glass due to the silex soils. Francis has been crafting biodynamic wines here since the ‘90s, using sustainable practices to allow the land to be fully expressed in the wines.

Lemon cream, white flowers, wet rocks, matchstick smoke, with undertones of tangerine and grapefruit. It’s electric-bright, with subtle creaminess to it – but has that seductive smoky character this area is so well known for. I’d recommend getting the bottle out for a quick 30-minute decant before enjoying it.