Pouilly Fumé

Nièvre
The vineyards in the Pouilly Fumé appellation were originally established by Benedictine monks. Located about 15 kilometres south of Sancerre and on the opposite bank of the Loire River, the majority of the vineyards are planted on two types of soil common to Sancerre as well:
 
Portlandian (Tithonian) — Cap rock with limestone and chalk.
Kimmeridgian — A mixture of clay and limestone.
The Smoky Influence of Argilo-Silex
 
A lower strata of the vineyards is argilo-silex. This is a sand-based flint soil with hard, shiny green pieces formed from a mixture of clay (argile), limestone and silica.
 
It is precisely this flint influence that helps give the Sauvignon Blanc in Pouilly Fumé its own unique personality. These silex stones, when struck together, give the aroma of pierre a fusil (gun flint) or the smoky smell of caps.
 

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Vineyards at Domaine Patrick Coulbois