A lesser known area of the Loire valley that lives in the shadow of its better-known neighbour Pouilly Fume, Coteaux du Giennois is an appellation for wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, near the town of Cosne-Sur-Loire. It has the quality and style of the Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, but as it is relatively unknown it doesn’t have their price tag. The region takes its name from the town of Gien and extends on both banks of the Loire, north of Pouilly-sur-Loire. The soils here are, for the most part, flint, and the vines are forced to dig deep for nutrients, the result is the classic gooseberry fruit on the nose is intense yet restrained and leads into a palate bursting with flavours of lime and nettle, finished off with elegant acidity.
