Pouilly-Fume

Definition - What does Pouilly-Fume mean?

Pouilly-Fumé is a style of dry white wine made in the sub-region Pouilly-sur-Loire in the region of Loire, France. It is made with Sauvignon Blanc and is designated as an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC).

The "Fumé" name refers to the smoky aroma the wine has that is imparted from the terroir where the vines grow.

WineFrog explains Pouilly-Fume

The history of the Pouilly-Fumé region dates back to the fifth century and the early days of the Roman Empire. By the Middle Ages, Benedictine monks began the development of the wine as a sacrament. As it was a white wine, it was less prone to staining.

The signature aroma of Pouilly-Fumé is gunflint. This is imparted from the soils into the fruit as the soils are made up of flint clay, Kimmeridgian marl and limestone.

Today, the wine is mainly sold abroad in Great Britain. It gained its AOC status in 1937.