Since I just posted about my first experience with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, I thought it would be a fun experiment to open a bottle of Pouilly-Fumé while the thoughts about the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc were still fresh on my mind.  So, on Friday evening, I chilled a bottle of 2006 Domain du Bouchot Pouilly-Fumé (vineyard; snooth) before Hubby and I ordered some Thai delivery.  Because I’m a soy sauce addict, I ordered my favorites—crab rangoon and chicken pad see ew.

Pouilly-Fumé is a Sauvignon Blanc from, you guessed it, Pouilly-Fumé, which is in the Loire Valley of France.  Typically, the wines are known for their smoky (fumé means “smoked” in French) and mineral flavors, and the Domain du Bouchot didn’t disappoint.  The wine was a nice, medium, gold color.  On the nose, there were lime and lemon aromas blended with hints of green apple and flowers.  There was also the anticipated smoke and stone-like aromas.  In the mouth, there was a nice mixture of lime and wet-stone flavors.  I know…you’re thinking that the idea of drinking something that tastes like licking a wet stone does not sound enticing, but I promise that when done well, as it is with this Pouilly-Fumé, it’s very enjoyable!  

The French Sauvignon Blanc was very different from the New Zealand wine from the same grape.  In appearance, the Domain du Bouchot had a more golden color than the Kim Crawford, which still was very young and yellow-green.  On the nose, the Domain du Bouchot was dominated by citrus and mineral flavors, while the Kim Crawford had strong vegetal (green pepper and asparagus) flavors with only a hint of citrus.  Those differences on the nose translated to similar differences on the palate.  Overall, though, while very different in appearance, smell, and taste, both wines had a crisp, refreshing acidity that brought out different, yet enjoyable characteristics of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. 

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $14 a bottle, this wine has great food pairing potential or can be enjoyed on its own, especially on a hot, 90-degree day.  The combination of the Pouilly-Fumé with both the seafood and the chicken in my Thai dishes worked perfectly; plus, the fried aspect of crab rangoon and the salty taste of the pad see ew helped cut the high acidity in the wine, while enhancing the flavors.  If you’re looking for something a little lighter to eat, I think the wine would also pair well with a nice goat cheese or a grilled shrimp dish.  No matter how you look at it, Domain du Bouchot’s 2006 Pouilly-Fumé was the perfect wine to kick off the heat wave that hit the DC area over the weekend!

Overall:4 Corks