Pouilly-Fuissé
1er Cru Sur La Roche 2020
To the west of Mâcon, in southern Burgundy, Pouilly-Fuissé produces wines which are
famous the world over from a vineyard with Mediterranean characteristics. Wines from the foot of the rocks…
Origin
The rocky outcrops of Solutré and Vergisson, emblematic of these vineyards, remind us that from a height of five hundred metres, 200 million years of history is looking down on us ! Indeed, 20,000 years ago one of the most fully evolved prehistoric cultures flourished here.
Premier Cru appellation created in 2020, with new specifications. 194 ha premier cru over 800 ha of Pouilly-Fuissé. 22 classified climates. “Sur la Roche” is one of the plots which has been partly classified as Premier Cru, in the town of Vergisson. This climate is characterized by its altitude at 375 m and its slope at 15%.
Viticulture
Grape variety: Chardonnay
Soils: shallow from hard limestones.
Orientation: South-East
Average age of the vines: 80 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 4 September 2020.
The grapes were handpicked and collected in 20-kg perforated crates.
At the winery: The whole bunches were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C, and was placed in a stainless steel vat for the start of fermentation with indigenous yeasts. At a density of 1032, the must was transferred to barrels with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees, to finish the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 8 months with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality. A proportion of 43% new French oak barrels.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: end of May 2021.
Vintage
Balanced and concentrated
The harvests happened back-to-front! They began with the reds ripening before the whites. The harvest was very disease-free but we had to eliminate sunburnt berries, especially in the case of the Pinot Noir vines as the Chardonnays had coped better with the heat. Quality was definitely good, but relatively low juice yields has resulted in Pinot Noirs with high colour and aromatic intensity. On the other hand, the Chardonnay vines produced adequate yields with a good balance of sugar and acidity. This optimal ripeness enabled us to harvest the red grapes in certain plots according to the ‘vendange entière’ approach, where stalks are fermented along with the grapes. 'Lots of lovely colour in the reds, with very high polyphenol content, firm tannins and excellent levels of acidity. Looks set to be a year with great cellaring potential. Summer fruit coulis notes definitely have the upper hand in this year’s vintage! The whites are nicely-balanced, but it’s too early to be more precise. Watch this space…’ Grégory Patriat.
Ageing potential: from 3 to 8 years.
Tasting notes
With its beautiful limpid color with golden reflections, this very charming wine develops intense aromas of exotic fruits with a beautiful lemony frame. On the palate, this wine is powerful with a very melted oak and a very good length.
