In the wine name Pouilly-Fumé, what does the “Fumé” refer to?
A. The smoky-colored gray bloom of yeasts on the grapes
B. The mists that rise up from the Loire River where the river makes a turn and begins to head south
C. The slightly smoky character of the wine
D. The morning fog that settles in the pockets of many of the best vineyards
A.
According to the renowned French ampelographer Pierre Galet (known as the “father of modern ampelography”), sauvignon blanc grapes in the Pouilly area of the Loire Valley in France are known by the synonym Blanc Fumé after the smoky-colored gray bloom of yeasts that grow on the grapes there. The grape Blanc Fumé gave rise to the wine’s name Pouilly-Fumé.
