TN: My Pouilly-Fuissé epiphany

Mark_B · January 22, 2019, 10:37pm

If you were anything like me, you’d never had a white Burgundy from south of the Côte de Beaune that really rocked your world. To me, these were always unassuming Chardonnays: component yet lacking any real depth or dinstinction. I’d always heard Pouilly-Fuissé was the top of the food chain down south, but Jadot, for me, was always marred by mediocrity. Those assumptions held true for the longest time.

Thankfully, that assumption was cosmically shattered yesterday by the most intriguing of bottles: a 2015 Eric Forest Pouilly-Fuissé. If this isn’t a lesson in the importance of competent and quality-focused production, I don’t know what is. This could stand as a dead ringer for village Meursault. It’s rich and powerful yet utterly delicate. White florals, lucious stone fruits, perfect balance. A lively blast of chalk and acid is held perfectly in check by the dense layers of fruit. A phenomenal effort. 92 pts.

Hank_Victor · January 22, 2019, 10:42pm

Thanks for the note. What was the price of the 2015 Eric Forrest PF?

I’ve always enjoyed Jadot PF for what it is and the price.

Corey_N · January 22, 2019, 10:42pm

Thanks for the note – I ended up grabbing a bottle (last one) from Binny’s.

Mark_B · January 22, 2019, 10:52pm

Oh man, get at that. It’s mind-blowingly good for its modest status.

Mark_B · January 22, 2019, 10:54pm

$30 full retail. I was able to scoop over a case for $16 each on clearance.

Peter_Kleban · January 22, 2019, 11:03pm

Thanks Mark! I’ve been looking for a good PF, I’ll keep an eye out for this maker.

Mark_B · January 23, 2019, 12:46am

Found some great info on his website:

Mark_B · January 23, 2019, 1:26am

Info on this specific bottling:

Dan_Kravitz · January 23, 2019, 1:37am

I’ve had Chateau de Fuisse bottlings that were far, far better than most ‘Village’ Meursaults at about the same price. I think that because it was such a ridiculous fashion a few decades ago, it lacks credibility despite some great terroirs being farmed to their potential.

Dan Kravitz

William_Kelley · January 23, 2019, 1:38am

So many great producers, and such a diversity of styles, to discover in the Mâconnais! Welcome to Chardonnay’s secret garden.

Mark_B · January 23, 2019, 1:42am

Nailed it.

Peter_Kleban · January 23, 2019, 1:43am

William, what else do you particularly like? TIA!

Mark_B · January 23, 2019, 1:44am

AlexS · January 23, 2019, 1:44am

William, could you please recommend some of your favorite Mâconnais producers, maybe even a top 10? Very much respect your opinion and palate, would appreciate it!

William_Kelley · January 23, 2019, 2:03am

Thanks for your kind words.

Domaine Daniel et Julien Barraud - artisanal winemaking (one of a number of top estates in Vergisson which seems to retain a serious winemaking culture) that pretty much defines classicism in the Mâconnais.
Domaine Guffens-Heynen - virtuosic stuff that, at its best, can embarrass the Côte de Beaune’s finest in blind tastings: not all cuvées are created equal, as for each appellation there is an entry level cuvée that uses the lower acid and higher sugar press juice, vs the more serious cuvées which use the free run and first press juice, which is where the magic happens. Happy to supply more specific advice.
Domaine de la Bongran - the Thevenet family’s pioneering organically farmed estate, late picked, vinified and matured for a long time in epoxy, and comparatively late released: broad shouldered wines that often carry residual sugar, but which age amazingly. They also embrace botrytis, which their part of Viré-Clessé (called Quintaine) is prone to. Not for everyone but a window into how white Burgundy tasted 100 years ago (and until recently DRC Montrachet had residual sugar and botrytis)… For less extreme interpretations of the area, look at Guillemot-Michel (which is still classic, musky Quintaine) and Michel Bonhomme (from further north, more textbook Viré-Clessé).
Domaine Jules Desjourneys - long-time distributor of Coche, Ente turns winemaker and does an incredible job: not cheap, but worth it, especially for the more ambitious bottlings where there are truly fireworks.
Domaine Valette - late-picked, low-sulfur, insanely long barrel maturation (as in, 84 months for one of their 2004 Pouilly-Fuissés), but wines that respond incredibly to oxygen (sometimes I decant for six hours), deliver immense pleasure with food and are simply quite striking. Another universe of wine.
Château des Rontets - a top producer where you can taste a wine from granite (“Pierrefolle”), which makes occasional appearances in the southern Mâconnais, vs one from limestone (“Birbettes”)
Denis Jeandeau - a serious micro-négociant who works in a leaner, more reductive / contemporary style, making very serious wines
Domaine des Vignes du Maynes - best reds in the Mâconnais, which used to have a serious reputation for red until all the old, low-yielding selections of Gamay were grubbed up and replaced with clones
Domaine J-A Ferret - you were skeptical about Jadot, but they own this estate and Audrey, their winemaker, is one of the most passionate and dedicated people in the region. The style is fresher and less unctuous than the late-picked style that made the estate’s reputation under the Ferret family, but they are very serious wines that I rate very highly.
Dominque Cornin - another source of very classic, artisanal wines, along the lines of Barraud, but somewhat less well known so likely cheaper

AlexS · January 23, 2019, 2:08am

Well sheesh, just amazing…will devote a portion of 2019 to discovering some of these wines.

Thx so much William!

jon_leifer · January 23, 2019, 2:21am

Well done, William…am familiar with a few of your gems but also a bunch of new guys to check out. thank you

Peter_Kleban · January 23, 2019, 2:35am

Thanks so much, William, very generous and informative. IIRC the only one of these I’ve had is the Barraud which I liked a lot. But now there is a whole world to explore!

Mark_B · January 23, 2019, 3:14am

So many great producers, and such a diversity of styles, to discover in the Mâconnais! Welcome to Chardonnay’s secret garden.

William, could you please recommend some of your favorite Mâconnais producers, maybe even a top 10? Very much respect your opinion and palate, would appreciate it!

Thanks for your kind words.

Domaine Daniel et Julien Barraud - artisanal winemaking (one of a number of top estates in Vergisson which seems to retain a serious winemaking culture) that pretty much defines classicism in the Mâconnais.

Domaine Guffens-Heynen - virtuosic stuff that, at its best, can embarrass the Côte de Beaune’s finest in blind tastings: not all cuvées are created equal, as for each appellation there is an entry level cuvée that uses the lower acid and higher sugar press juice, vs the more serious cuvées which use the free run and first press juice, which is where the magic happens. Happy to supply more specific advice.

Domaine de la Bongran - the Thevenet family’s pioneering organically farmed estate, late picked, vinified and matured for a long time in epoxy, and comparatively late released: broad shouldered wines that often carry residual sugar, but which age amazingly. They also embrace botrytis, which their part of Viré-Clessé (called Quintaine) is prone to. Not for everyone but a window into how white Burgundy tasted 100 years ago (and until recently DRC Montrachet had residual sugar and botrytis)… For less extreme interpretations of the area, look at Guillemot-Michel (which is still classic, musky Quintaine) and Michel Bonhomme (from further north, more textbook Viré-Clessé).

Domaine Jules Desjourneys - long-time distributor of Coche, Ente turns winemaker and does an incredible job: not cheap, but worth it, especially for the more ambitious bottlings where there are truly fireworks.

Domaine Valette - late-picked, low-sulfur, insanely long barrel maturation (as in, 84 months for one of their 2004 Pouilly-Fuissés), but wines that respond incredibly to oxygen (sometimes I decant for six hours), deliver immense pleasure with food and are simply quite striking. Another universe of wine.

Château des Rontets - a top producer where you can taste a wine from granite (“Pierrefolle”), which makes occasional appearances in the southern Mâconnais, vs one from limestone (“Birbettes”)

Denis Jeandeau - a serious micro-négociant who works in a leaner, more reductive / contemporary style, making very serious wines

Domaine des Vignes du Maynes - best reds in the Mâconnais, which used to have a serious reputation for red until all the old, low-yielding selections of Gamay were grubbed up and replaced with clones

Domaine J-A Ferret - you were skeptical about Jadot, but they own this estate and Audrey, their winemaker, is one of the most passionate and dedicated people in the region. The style is fresher and less unctuous than the late-picked style that made the estate’s reputation under the Ferret family, but they are very serious wines that I rate very highly.

Dominque Cornin - another source of very classic, artisanal wines, along the lines of Barraud, but somewhat less well known so likely cheaper

A million thanks for the treasure trove, William. I can’t wait to drink through the producers on your list.

Sean_S · January 23, 2019, 3:27am

Thanks Mark for the note… Surprising since Burgundy is dead at retail and this came from Binny’s no less