Loire alternatives to Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé: expert’s choice

The latest edition of The World Atlas of Wine (8th edition, £50 Mitchell Beazley) states that in the eastern part of the Loire valley, Sauvignon Blanc ‘can make better, certainly finer and more complex, wine than anywhere else in the world’.

Although perhaps a bold statement, there is no doubt that with the festive season approaching, demand for the crisp, aromatic and food-friendly wines of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé will leap. But there are a number of other appellations close to Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé with very similar wine styles, often at significantly lower prices.

Scroll down for Andy Howard MW’s top Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé alternatives

What are the key names to look out for and what should enthusiasts expect from these Sauvignon Blanc alternatives?

The style of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé is shaped by the cool, marginal, continental climate, requiring an extended growing season to deliver full ripeness. Soils are another key factor, with the significant presence of the Kimmeridgian – a combination of clay and limestone marl dating back to the Jurassic period. In fact, the eastern Loire shares much of its geology with Chablis and the Côte des Bar to the northeast, and the significance of terroir can be seen when comparing Sancerre and Chablis – despite being made from two distinctly different grape varieties, the wines can often be confused when tasted blind.

Sancerre lies on the left (western) bank of the Loire, with Pouilly-Fumé on the right. The appellations share many similarities, with wines showing fresh, pronounced grassy aromas, bright citrus acidity and a mineral character on the finish. Sancerre is perhaps more intense and precise with aromas of white flowers, while Pouilly-Fumé often displays pithy, zesty fruit characters as well as a flinty (‘fumé’) note on the palate. The restraint shown by eastern Loire Sauvignon Blanc is very different to the pungent, more tropical expressions that are often found in New Zealand and Chile.

Nearby options

Closest to Sancerre – in both location and quality – is Menetou-Salon, a significant AP of 390ha (for its white wines) created in 1959 and located on Kimmeridgian soils. Menetou-Salon can be a match for Sancerre with a slightly more forward fruit and aromatic profile, often influenced by a higher iron content derived from the sandstone found here. Morogues is the only commune that you will commonly see on labels, having attached its name to Menetou-Salon, and it is a source of some of the AP’s best wines.

Further west, one reaches the smaller APs of Quincy (303ha, all white) and Reuilly (128ha for whites). Quincy was France’s first appellation for white wine, granted in 1936. Both of these APs are undergoing a revival and many of the wines deliver Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé quality at a significantly lower price. Being closer to the Atlantic, the maritime influence is rather more pronounced, with soils a combination of sandy gravel terraces and limestone slopes. Both Quincy and Reuilly have similar wine styles with more herbaceous notes than Sancerre, backed up with very firm acidity.

Another up-and-coming appellation is Coteaux du Giennois (115ha for white), with some of the best wines coming from vines grown on similar soils to Sancerre/Pouilly-Fumé. Leading producers Clément and Florian Berthier bottle three distinctive single-vineyard expressions – Marne, Caillotte and Silex – with each one highlighting specific terroir.

One should not overlook Touraine Sauvignon, as producers rein in the more New World exotic, pungent style with some decidedly-Sancerre lookalikes. In addition, there are a number of ‘entry-level’ Sauvignons labelled Val de Loire and Vin de France, which deliver the crisp, focused, mineral style that both Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé fans will enjoy.

Andy Howard MW’s top Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé alternatives

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