Jonathan Pabiot: ‘Definitely in the Pouilly-Fumé A league’

Old vine terroir-driven Pouilly-Fumé

'Jonathan Pabiot sees what most of us can't in Pouilly-Fumé: a compelling appellation with distinctive soils and the ability to show itself with specificity and depth.' – Jon Bonné, The New French Wine

Fifth-generation winemaker Jonathan Pabiot took over the family winery in 2010. 'We didn’t keep a single customer,' he says, 'because we stopped making Sauvignon Blanc-style Sauvignon Blanc'. Jonathan cut yields and went organic. He adopted wild yeast fermentations, biodynamic viticulture, extensive lees stirring for texture, and an array of maturation vessels ranging from concrete to neutral 500-litre barrels. He understood that terroir is the calling card of the great wines of the Loire, just as elsewhere, and focussed on older vines in distinctive parcels. 

Towards the centre of France (and not that far from Chablis), Pouilly-Fumé lies on the other bank of the Loire from its neighbour Sancerre. 'Fumé' means 'smoked', and the wines of Pouilly-Fumé are said to exhibit just such a smoky, gunflint character. The best, like the Pabiot wines, are taut and dense and capable of long aging. Writing on vinous.com, Rebecca Gibb MW has noted that Pabiot is now 'definitely in the Pouilly-Fumé A league'.

The Pabiot vines lie on 20 hillside hectares around the village of Les Loges, in sight of the river. That proximity to the river is responsible for a very humid climate: Jonathan says the contrast between the fresh, cool mornings and the heat in the afternoons accounts for the minerality in his wines. The Aubaine cuvée comes from plots thick with limestone pebbles ('a hell for my plough'). It's all elegance, with citrusy fruit, a floral, leesy palate and a hint of bitterness on the finish. Luminance comes from terraces planted on Kimmeridgian marl (shell limestone); it is pure and refined, with the density to age beautifully. /NT

Offered subject to remaining unsold. Wines available imminently. To place an order, click on the wines below or call 020 7638 5998