2024 Fournier Les Deux Cailloux Pouilly-Fume, Loire Valley

Fournier Les Deux Cailloux Pouilly Fumé from the Loire Valley is a poised and beautifully mineral expression of Sauvignon Blanc from one of the region’s most respected producers. Domaine Fournier Père et Fils, based in Verdigny since 1926, is known for crafting wines that reflect both the purity of fruit and the distinctiveness of Loire terroir. Les Deux Cailloux — “the two pebbles” — refers to the two dominant soil types that shape the wine’s character: Kimmeridgian limestone, which lends flinty minerality, and clay, which adds richness and depth.

The grapes are hand harvested from select vineyard parcels overlooking the Loire River, where cool breezes and well-drained soils encourage slow, even ripening. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve precision and freshness. The wine is then aged on fine lees for several months to build texture and mouthfeel, resulting in a style that is both vibrant and elegantly layered.

In the glass it shows pale straw with silvery reflections. The aroma is refined and complex, combining lime, white peach and grapefruit with delicate notes of gunflint, elderflower and wet stone. The palate is crisp yet rounded, showing flavours of citrus, green apple and melon balanced by taut acidity and a long, mineral-driven finish. There’s a beautiful tension between fruit and flint, creating a wine that feels simultaneously lively and composed.

It pairs beautifully with fresh oysters, grilled white fish, goat cheese, asparagus or herb-crusted chicken. It’s also excellent with sushi or dishes featuring citrus and light herbs. While delicious young for its purity and precision, it will develop honeyed and smoky complexity over the next five to seven years.