Pouilly-sur-Loire Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Riaux 2024

With more than 200 years of family history at this domaine behind them, Bertrand Jeannot and his son Alexis, both of whom studied oenology at Beaune in Burgundy, farm 14 hectares on the side of the Saint-Andelain hill.

The soils here are mostly flint with a further 20% Kimmeridgian shale and 10% limestone. Some of their vines are 50-years-old and much care is taken in the vineyards to ensure the health and vitality of the soil, with grass grown between the rows to help limit yields and organic fertiliser used instead of chemicals.

Vinification takes place in a thick-walled cellar below Saint-Andelain that has been there even longer than the family, but very modern stainless steel is used for fermentation and maturation to retain the pristine vibrancy of the fruit. Alexis ensures the quality of the lees in the tanks at the outset. This allows him to leave the wine on the fine lees throughout, without any pumping or other movement, until it is deemed time to bottle. This not only preserves fruit and reduces oxidation, but also the carbon dioxide in the wine is not dissipated which helps to prevent both oxidation and the excessive use of sulphur dioxide in the wines when bottled.

As well as sauvignon blanc - the single grape permitted for the appellation Pouilly-Fumé - the Jeannots also have a little old-vine chasselas, which produces their exceptional Pouilly-sur-Loire.