Domaine Tinel-Blondelet, 2018 Update
As a rough guide the Pouilly-Fumé appellation runs from Pouilly-sur-Loire, through Les Loges below the flinty cap of St-Andélain, up to Tracy-sur Loire, providing of course you are heading downstream, following the flow of the river. As an equally rough guide, this appellation’s terroir progresses in a similar manner, older Oxfordian limestone terroirs around Pouilly-sur-Loire, younger Kimmeridgian limestones and marls above and around Les Loges, with the very youngest Portlandian limestones (although, to be geologically correct, these should really be referred to as Tithonian) at the end of the appellation, around Tracy-sur-Loire.
Located in Pouilly-sur-Loire, and thus with at least some of their vines on Oxfordian limestone, there are two Blondelet domaines. Both are (in part, at least) descended from the domaine of Paul Blondelet, who tended vines here in the early 20th century (although in truth the Blondelet line in the region can be traced back many centuries). Ultimately the domaine was divided, half coming to Michelle Blondelet, who married Jean-Michel Masson, this being the birth of Domaine Masson-Blondelet. The other vines came to Annick Tinel-Blondelet (pictured), one of the most charming and amiable vigneronnes I have ever met, who continues with here half of the vineyard as Domaine Tinel-Blondelet.
The Wines
The Domaine Tinel-Blondelet vines are mostly Sauvignon Blanc, divided between two principal sites in Pouilly-Fumé. Many vines are around the village of Le Bouchot, on Oxfordian limestone, the fruit picked here used for the Génetin cuvée (named for Muscat Génetin, an old synonym for Sauvignon Blanc). The second is L’Arrêt Buffatte, named for an old staging post on the road which has passed through here since Roman times. This lieu-dit is slightly further north, placing it on the appellation’s desirable Kimmeridgian terroir. Alongside the Sauvignon Blanc she also has a little Chasselas, planted for the Pouilly-sur-Loire appellation, as well as some vines in Sancerre. In this most recent tasting, however, I focused on the right bank of the Loire.
