Kim Uncorked: Welcome to my weekly wine recommendation.
Hi, I’m Kim, a passionate lover of wine, food, and any experience that brings the two together! In this weekly blog post, I share my thoughts on a wine that I’ve recently purchased from one of our local independent wine merchants. If you’d like to know more about me, I’ve included a brief bio following the post.
2022 L’Odyssée
Pouilly-Fumé AOC
French white wine
Liberty Wine Merchants
126 – 13th Street East, North Vancouver, BC
$38.99
This week’s recommendation comes from Pouilly-Fumé, one of France’s most esteemed white wine appellations in the Loire Valley. Produced exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc (locally known as Blanc Fumé), the wines are known for their vibrant acidity, crisp citrus profile, and distinctive flinty, smoky character—an expression of the region’s silex (flint) and limestone-rich soils.
The L’Odyssée cuvée from the Dagueneau family stands out as a benchmark example. Now led by fourth-generation winemaker Valérie Dagueneau, the domaine is renowned for crafting wines of remarkable purity, brightness, and mineral precision. The vineyards are planted primarily on Kimmeridgian marl—a soil also prized in Champagne and Chablis—with limestone and a rare seam of flint. The Sauvignon Blanc vines average 40 years of age, which helps the wines offer a vivid expression of this complex terroir. Fermentation and aging take place in ovoid concrete vats (“the egg”), enhancing texture and roundness while preserving freshness and energy. The name “L’Odyssée” is a personal tribute to Valérie’s son, Ulysse, evoking a journey that mirrors the wine’s layered sensory experience.
The 2022 L’Odyssee shows a pale gold hue in the glass with a delicate, expressive nose, offering aromas of bee pollen, ripe melon, lime rind, and a subtle hint of boxwood. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with bright, tart acidity that brings focus and lift. Flavours of melon, lime zest, and pear unfold seamlessly, leading into a gentle smoky finish that adds depth without weight.
The balance between aromatics and structure is impeccable—nothing overwhelms, everything harmonizes. An elegant and poised expression of Sauvignon Blanc.
This wine pairs beautifully with seafood and shellfish, goat’s cheese, or poultry in creamy sauces.
Kim Mead is a Vancouver-based wine and food writer. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines with Merit, the French Wine Scholar designation with Honours, and Italian Wine Essentials certification. She is currently pursuing the Bordeaux Master's program with the Wine Scholar Guild. Kim serves as Cellar Master for the Vancouver chapter of the International Wine and Food Society and is a member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux. Follow her @agalandaglass