A few bunches of Chasselas enjoying the evening sunshine 

Given the rather meagre prices certain Pauillacs achieve these days I suppose the INAO might be prepared to consider extending the range of grape varieties permitted in the appellation to help the producers in their hour of need. Possibly you might even see a new appellation – Pauillac-sur-Garonne – with 100% Chasselas permitted ...

Although I’m not all sure about Pouilly-Fumé being the ‘pearl of the Loire’ given its variable present day quality, this is an informative and interesting study of Pouilly-Fumé. I’m finding the chapter, written by Patrick Coulbois, on its history particularly interesting.

As in Sancerre there were some red grapes planted here before the arrival of phylloxera at the end of the 19th century, although unlike in Sancerre red varieties were never the majority. Instead it was Chasselas and Sauvignon Blanc that dominated. As Coulbois explains in the chaopthat Sauvignon Blanc had already established its reputation in Pouilly at the beginning of the 19th century. Pinot Noir was planted in Pouilly along with Gascon, L’Oeillade plus other red varieties including I assume Gamay. Claude Courtois in the Sologne has a vineyard of Gascon – click here for details and L’Oeillade is a synomym for Cinsault, although it would be surprising if this variety was planted so far north. Perhaps this was a different variety. Would like to hear from anyone who knows.

In 1793 un poinçon (223 litres – nearly the equivalent of today’s barrique) of Pouilly sold for 134 livres. This compared to 100 livres for Sancerre and 84 from wine from Cosne – now part of the Coteaux de Giennois. Red wine from Pouilly sold for 90 livres. In 1829 there were 1890 hectares in the region of Pouilly. After phylloxera and two World Wars this had fallen to just 430 hectares by 1970. There are now 1224 hectares planted.

Throughout its history Pouilly has experienced good and bad times – years of prosperity and years of misery as Coulbois recounts.

There are also useful chapters on the soils and geology of Pouilly. Unfortunately the chapter on the evolution of the vineyard in recent times is stronger on poetry than on substance. In the photo chapter on the vignerons of Pouilly appears to be missing some significant figures: Didier Dagueneau (no surprise here), Patrick Ladoucette and Jean-Louis Saget.

Pouilly-Fumé was published in 2007 by terre en vues 34€. It includes a number of very fine photos from a number of contributors.

The sales figures for the campaign 1st August 2007 to 31st July 2008 have just been released and they show that the overall volume of sales was almost identical to the campaign 2006/07. At 301,968 hl the 2007 harvest was up by 1.5% on 2006 – 297,371 hl. 301,886 hl were sold in 2007/08 against 302,690 hl in the previous year. This means that sales almost exactly matched the volume of the 2007 harvest. Breaking that down by appellation, shows that Sancerre at 165,810 hl was down 1% on the previous year, Pouilly-Fumé at 74,778 (down 4%), Châteaumeillant, which had a very small harvest was down by 2%, and Pouilly-sur-Loire down by 15%.

The drop in sales of Pouilly-sur-Loire reflects the continued decline in the production of Pouilly-sur-Loire, now easily the smallest appellation of the Central Vineyards. In 2004 there was 2367 hl made, 2005 (2193 hl), 2006 (1987 hl) and just 1918 hl in 2007 – a drop of 19% in four years. There are now only 33 ha of Chasselas in production.

In contrast sales of the rest of the appellations were all up; Menetou-Salon (6%), Quincy (15%), Reuilly (5%) and Coteaux du Giennois (11%).

48.5% of sales are outside France. The campaign saw increases in the UK (+3%), which is still easily the largest export market, and the US (1%). They also increased in Holland (11%), Norway (20%) and Ireland (20%). However, sales in Belgium and Germany dropped by 9% and 4% respectively and also Canada, which was down by 20%. The whites dominate the export market with 92.8% of the volume, 4.4% for the rosés and just 2.8% for the reds

It will be interesting to see how sales hold up in 2007/08, which promises to be one of the most difficult for many years. It may well be fortunate that the possible drop in demand coincides with the small 2008 harvest.

Source: BIVC