WTN: An uninspiring Pouilly-Fumé

I picked this up at a Foire aux Vins following a RVF recommendation. It comes from an under the radar producer and was priced at c. €10 which is low for the quite prestigious Pouilly-Fumé appellation. At this price point, better values IMO are found in Loire Chenin. SB's international popularity no doubt boosts the prices of wines from the central Loire. The RVF's 2025 guide of producers dropped into my letterbox yesterday and it appears that few cuvées of Pouilly-Fumé (Sancerre too) from their top tier producers can be had for lower than the 30-40€ range and sometimes a lot more, e.g. Dagueneau and Mellot. I may look out for one to see what a high end Loire SB producer can achieve nowadays, my good Cotat experiences being more than 20 years ago.

2023 Domaine Mollet-Maudry Pouilly-Fumé - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé (18/09/2024)
I recently commented on a Touraine Sauvignon which I found agreeable but lacking in the tension and minerality which should be found further upstream. Well, this Pouilly-Fumé, from one of the best regarded villages, is not much superior in those respects, albeit a pleasant drink. Quite good.
Posted from CellarTracker

prestigious Pouilly-Fumé appellation. ...... SB's international popularity

How times - and tastes - change.

When I did my WSET courses last century we were taught not to confuse Pouilly-Fumé with Pouilly-Fuisse, as the first was inferior whereas the latter was noble . SB was considered by the 'experts' to be a peasants wine. Unless it was in Sauternes of course, not that grape varieties we much mentioned then, it was the appellation that was the only important thing.