2018 Alexandre Bain, La Levée, Vin de France

Located in Pouilly-Fumé, Alexandre Bain does not make traditional Pouilly-Fumé style Sauvignon Blanc but something much more unique. After experiences in different vineyards across the Loire, Alexandre bought his five-hectare vineyard in 2007 in the lieu-dit of Boisfleury, Pouilly-Fumé. His vision was to create a unique expression of Sauvignon Blanc unlike anything else in the Central Valley.
Indeed, his styles of wines are not what you would expect to find from the appellation – they are some of the most expressive, terroir-driven wines.

So different are they from the Pouilly-Fumé appellation that the PDO deprived him from labelling the appellation on his bottles in 2014. Hence, he labels his wines under “Vin de France,” which works to his advantage as it allows his wines to show true individuality and freedom of expression.

Alexandre works organically and biodynamically; everything is harvested by hand, and he ploughs his vines with horses. There is very little intervention in his winemaking, which might be the essence of the precision and age-worthiness of his Sauvignon Blanc.

Today, the vineyard boasts 11 hectares of vines and has developed something of a cult following. The possible food pairings with Alexandre’s wines are some of the most exciting for sommeliers across the world. From his entry-level Pierre Précieuse and La Levée cuvées to his unique cuvées like Terre d’Obus and Les Grandes Hates, Alexandre’s range is one that all should discover.