Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
From estate parcels on the steep clay and limestone slopes of Vergisson, this ferments in stainless steel (60 percent) and older, neutral oak barrels (40 percent), producing a gastronomic wine focused on spice, toasted lees and the mineral scents the lees can give. It’s tight and juicy, delicious with fluke sashimi or any fresh fish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This warm, rounded and ripe wine offers balanced fruit and acidity. A crisp edge to the rich pear and spicy flavor is lifted by an attractive touch of cinnamon. The final acidity is steely, bringing in a mineral element. Drink now.
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Wine Spectator
A vibrant, juicy style, this boasts peach, lemon and mineral notes, backed by a bracing structure. Persistent echoing citrus and stone details on the finish. Drink now through 2019. 200 cases imported.
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.
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!