Winemaker Notes
Located on a hillside overlooking the village of Pouilly, Domaine du Chalet Pouilly has been family owned and operated since 1850, passing down expertise and passion from one generation to another. The 8.5 hectares are shared between Pouilly Fuisse (5 hectares), Saint-Veran (3 hectares) and Macon-Solutre planted in 2009 (0.5 hectares). The estate practices sustainable wine-growing methods and some plots are grown according to the organic standards.
Today, Chalet Pouilly is run by Marie-Eve Léger, who joined the domain in 2009 after completing her degree, and her parents Agnes and Bernard. They practice traditional wine-growing methods, respecting the terroir, and their philosophy is to allow nature to express itself through the vinification process in order to create rich-flavored wines with a rustic touch. Their vines are old, and their soil rich and calcareous.
The source of some of the most sought-after white wines of the Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé is produced exclusively from the Chardonnay grape and tends to be slightly richer in style than wines from its northern neighbor, the Côte de Beaune—mainly due to warmer weather. Wines from Pouilly-Fuissé have some versatility; they can be enjoyed young and can also often improve with a little time in the cellar. Pouilly-Fuissé wines are considered some of the best values for white Burgundy.
Similar to the Côte de Beaune, the soils of Pouilly-Fuissé are mainly limestone and clay. The appellation includes the communes of Fuissé, Solutré (which includes Pouilly), Vergisson and Chaintré. The richest Chardonnay comes from Fuissé and Solutré-Pouilly, whereas the Chardonnay at higher elevation, from Vergisson, expresses more minerality and finesse. Pairing Pouilly-Fuissé with lobster or King Crab will bring great joy not only to your palate—but also your pocketbook!
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.