The origins of the vineyards in Pouilly Fumé date back to the Gallo-Roman times. But it was only much later that the appelation has seen a real expansion, thanks to religious congregations including the Benedictines. The name Pouilly comes from the village named Pouilly-sur-Loire, while the name Fumé has two explanations. Sauvignon Blanc, the variety used to create Pouilly fumé wines, has a grey layer on the grape skin, when the grapes reach maturity, that resembles smoke. The second explanation might come from the richness of the soils which permit to develop aromas of flintstone or gunflint fragrances in the wines.
ITALIANO