La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2021

Supremely complex as you would expect from such a venerated producer. Honey, spring jasmine, lime, grapefruit, honeydew, green apple, discreet oak and Jersey cream. Sumptuous, rich and tangy, fleshy and tingling. Utterly singular, with the energy and verve of riesling and decadence of chardonnay. Wonderful now, but even better in 7 or 8 years and then some. Waters Wine Co

“Four ha in Les Quarts and half of that goes to make this wine, the oldest vines go into the cuvée Les Quarts. Super depth and dimension of aroma again – such an invitation! Full, energetic – a mouthful of fun here – melting, growing juicy. Another great wine.” Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report

Biodynamic. Here we have a wine that is grown in one of Mâcon’s very best sites. Les Quarts is sectioned into four lieux-dits (or historic place names): Haut, Bas, Le Clocheton and Les Quarts Touches. This is a blend of those parcels which do not make it into La Soufrandière’s Les Quarts cuvée. Planted at 230 metres altitude on classic Bajocian clay and Jurassic limestone soil, this beautiful slope has been certified biodynamic since 2006.

The 2021 was vinified mainly in tank (60%) with the balance in older barriques. The domaine uses no new oak, by the way, with the barrels in the cellar having an average age of 10 to 12 years. As well as ex-Leflaive and Lafon barrels, the Bret brothers also buy used 300-litre casks from Olivier Lamy. It’s a coiled, rocky Pouilly-Vinzelles with layers of cool flesh, surging grapefruit and herbal lift and exceptional tangy length. Great texture here, precisely balanced by the vibrant freshness of the vintage. Can this really be a villages level wine? With so much drive, depth and length or flavour, it will make many a Côte de Beaune white look like pretenders.

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