Benoit Chauveau Sainte Clelie Pouilly Fume 2020

Domaine Benoit Chauveau is a long-time First Bottle favorite. They make beautiful expressions of sauvignon blanc from the various terroirs of Pouilly Fumé. At a cool $14.95 – this is a fantastic white to load up on – a pristine match for most any occasion.

The Chauveau family has been farming the region since the 1800s, yet it was the efforts of the current generation, Benoit Chauveau, that united the scattered parcels and shifted focus solely towards grape growing. He began with the purchase of his parents’ parcel in 1995, adding on his grandparents’ holdings a couple of years later. Today, the domaine stretches across 17 hectares, with 15 hectares in the region of Pouilly. They produce three distinct wines from sauvignon blanc in Pouilly-Fumé – all based on different terroirs.

This Sainte Clélie cuvée hails from the same soils as Chablis – kimmeridgian marl. These are the famous oyster beds from eons past, uplifted sea floors of compressed sediment, and chipped sea shells that stay cool even in the heat of the day. This amounts to a long and slow ripening on the vine, providing wines with ample fruit notes and a balanced acidity that prolongs a wine’s freshness.

This is a powerfully vibrant wine with bright citrus notes of lemons, kumquats, and mandarins – not to mention plenty of spicy ginger, lemongrass, and tarragon markers. The body is round and mouth coating, with zippy, electric currents of acidity carrying the wine to a long and enduring finish that culminates in the faintest hint of green almonds. Way, way more complex than any $15 sauvignon blanc has the right to be, this is fun, thoughtful, and completely engaging Pouilly Fumé that is just too perfect to miss! At 40% OFF, this is a wine to go deep on and enjoy for the next few years!