Sauvignon Blanc has many incarnations throughout the world, but even in the Loire Valley—the grape's spiritual home—Pouilly-Fumé represents a very distinctive example and is one of the more obscure Sauvignon Blanc appellations. Pouilly-Fumé is about half the size of neighboring Sancerre just across the river but has nowhere near the market share in the US and might be practically invisible were it not for Didier Dagueneau's cult bottlings. While it shares the Kimmeridgian limestone of Sancerre, its soils also contain fragments of flint, which are presumably responsible for Pouilly-Fumé's characteristic goût de pierre à fusil, or gunflint taste. Antoine Gouffier's MCMLV is named for 1955, the year that this vineyard was planted. With zesty grapefruit on the nose, the palate also shows lemon citrus and nectarines, with fabulous freshness combined with smooth, mouthfilling texture. It manages to be both fleshy and light on its feet. Lovely, lovely fruit here, and stunning texture. The wine ages partly in wood and partly stainless steel. Effortlessly balanced. Not your typical Pouilly-Fumé, but greatly representative of the marl soils it hails from – sharing more likeliness to high-end Chablis than your typical bistro Sancerre. However, the subtle linearity of the wine and the nettle note give away its true origin. Gastronomic. Structured and circular, with the roundness and minerality beautifully balanced and interwoven. A different perspective on Pouilly-Fumé, and certainly one to get to know.