Limestone, flint stone, sand or clay. Does it really matter? Yes, says Sauvignon Blanc specialist Henri d’Assay from the Loire Valley. Even such an easy recognizable grape as Sauvignon Blanc is influenced by its terroir, the soil not least.
Henri d’Assay knows Sauvignon Blanc inside and out. His family has run well-known Château Tracy in the Pouilly-Fumé appellation in the Upper Loire for many years. He himself was the director for 20 years. So, when he and his wife Corinne decided to start their own small négociant business, it seemed natural to concentrate on that grape.
It seems like a good strategy. Sauvignon Blanc is today a celebrity grape with clear-cut aromas that you can easily recognize. But don’t be mistaken, the grape has greater complexity and variety than most people think.
A tasting of Henri d’Assay’s wines shows quite clearly the versatility of the grape.
Henri and Corinne created their small négociant company called “Comte Henry d’Assay” in February 2016. (The company is spelled Henry, but his name in France is actually spelled Henri.) The first vintage they made was 2015. “We travelled around France looking for good quality, expressive Sauvignon Blanc wines, representative of their regions”, Henri tells me. Henri is a well-known personality, famous among the growers. He carefully selects whom he buys from. He looks for growers that are quality conscious and growers he feels he can work with. He shares his experience with them and, of course, he has views on the way they work in the vineyards and in the cellar.
In France today, there are more and more such small, quality-conscious négociant businesses, which, like Comte Henry d’Assay, make very good wines without owning vineyards. They hand pick their suppliers carefully and they work closely with them, whether they buy grapes or wines.
Right now, Henri and Corinne have five or six wines from different terroirs. A Côtes de Gascogne from south-western France is so far the only wine that does not come from the Loire Valley. The others come from different parts of the Loire: Touraine, Coteaux du Giennois and Pouilly-Fumé. Maybe more regions will be added in the future.
The limestone and marl found in Côtes de Gascogne in south-western France is a good soil type for white grapes. This is the beautiful Armagnac region, birthplace of d’Artagnan, the famous musketeer. Sauvignon Blanc is not used for the Armagnac production but it has found a place alongside the local grapes.
The very reasonably priced Côtes de Gascogne 2017 from Comte Henry d’Assay is an expressive wine. It is floral, with a long and fresh, but still smooth taste. “The white limestone soil gives a special character to the wine,” says Henri. “The combination of freshness and roundness is typical of this soil.” He wouldn’t mind putting this wine a short time in big oak barrels. A little bit of oak will give an extra dimension to the wine without taking away any of the fruit, he believes. (6 euros, USD 6.70, prices in France)
The Touraine Sauvignon 2017 comes from a light sandy soil mixed with clay. This wine is elegant with hints of honey in the taste. It is quite subtle in style, not green and aromatic as the grape can sometimes be. A classic Sauvignon with subdued aromas. (8 euros, USD 8.90)
Coteaux du Giennois is a small appellation, not yet so well-known, located just north of Pouilly-Fumé, on the same side of the Loire river. “The terroir here”, says Henri, “has great potential and can produce powerful wines.” The 2017 is a fairly easy-drinking, unpretentious wine (9 euros, USD 10). “There is room for improvement here”, says Henri.
The three Pouilly-Fumé wines all show a completely different side of Sauvignon Blanc.
Pouilly-Fumé Commune de Saint Andelain Argile à Silex 2017 comes from a soil of clay and flint. “The flint stone is clearly distinguishable here,” says Henri. The wine has a floral nose and a very long, complex and tight taste. “Tightness is a typical character of flint stone,” says Henri. This is a classic Pouilly-Fumé with finesse and elegance. (18 euros, USD 20)
Pouilly-Fumé 2017 Commune de Tracy Calcaire grow on Portland limestone. Citrus dominates the delicious aromas. “Flint and limestone make a good blend”, says Henri, “it adds another dimension to the wine. “The soil is very poor with only a small layer of topsoil and then more than 30 feet of limestone rock. The yields are naturally small. (no price indication)
The grapes used for Pouilly-Fumés Les Garennes 2017 again grows on a different kind of limestone soil. The wine is aged in oak barrels of 600 and 400 liters (bigger than the classic “Bordeaux barrels”). “These sizes affect the wine less than the 225-liter barrel,” says Henri. On the nose, there are ripe melons and even hints of more exotic fruits like lychee. The taste is complex, intense and long. It is well-balanced and fresh. (no price indication)
Over the years, Henri has learned a lot about Sauvignon Blanc. Not least from Denis Durbourdieu in Bordeaux, who was the biggest Sauvignon Blanc expert of them all. “He often taught simple things,” says Henri, “for instance that all grapes that are good to eat are good for the wine. Simple but true.”
Henri also wants to point out that the weather during the year obviously affects the wines but, he says, they do not get better or worse, just different. That is also something very useful to bear in mind.
Henri and Corinne will certainly add new wines and new terroirs to their already very interesting portfolio. A development to follow.
—Britt Karlsson
