Alphonse de Lamartine born in Mâcon in 1790, lived much of his life in Milly. Behind, the Saint-Laurent bridge in Mâcon.
Practically speed-tasting, but first impressions count for something – no? The wines listed in the order of (blind) tasting:
Jean-Luc et Paul Aegerter, Saint-Veran
A good citric freshness. A little rigour, green citrus, structure. A little rustic but with a powerful finish.
Vins Auvigue, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles-Vignes
An extra depth of yellow, sweet citrus. Ooh – direct acidity, hmm, not so nice acidity – and a lot of oak too – no!
Cave Cooperative d’Azé, Jules Richard, Mâcon-Azé
A modest nose, quite tight. More open on the palate, with good texture. Quite good…
Grand Vins Andre Bonhomme, Viré-Clessé Vieilles-Vignes
A more open nose, more mineral. Wide, with good concentration and shape. Nice wine.
François et Sylvie Bourdon, Pouilly-Fuissé
A nose with lots of greenery. Fresh and wide in the mouth a little herby but good.
Dominique Cornin, Pouilly-Fuissé Chevrières
Quite a vibrant nose, almost volatile. Direct, intense, some gas – spreads excellently over the palate. Great finish. I’m undecided.
Marcel Couturier, Saint-Veran La Cour des Bois
Boiled sweets on the nose. Good fresh volume, direct, layered. Not my favourite flavour profile but nice weight, balance and shape.
Richard et Stephane Martin – Mont Epin, Viré-Clessé
An open impression yet still tight nose. Direct, plenty of acidity – more Chablis style, herby finishing flavour.
Curveux Joël et Fils, Pouilly-Fuissé Vers Cras
Quite an inviting nose. Very mineral, good width, slowly melting flavour. This is very good!
Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Vinzelles
A wide nose, quite smooth. Mineral, melting, quite direct but with fine texture. Good wine.
Jean-Yves Eloy, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles-Vignes
Corked…
Ferret-Lorton, Pouilly-Fuissé
A broad and open nose with a little oak. Ooh, direct, silken mineral wine. Too much oak for me today, but a beautifully proportioned wine.
De la Feuillarde, Saint-Veran Maison Rouge
A pretty, slightly tighter nose. Narrower but fresh, direct and mouth-watering. This is very good!
Eric Forest, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Crays
Fresh, high tones with some oak. Open airy, a little mineral, mildly oaky. Less concentrated than some but open and very tasty.
Château de Fuissé, Pouilly-Fuissé Le Clos
Narrow up top, the aroma broadening to a more oaky base. Very fresh and direct, super mineral and very silky. To wait for but clearly super wine.
Gaillard, Mâcon Villages
A modestly open nose but still with fine fresh notes – quite inviting. Open, this is good after many that have gone before. Good wine.
An attractive depth of aroma. Fresh, open delicious wine – top!
Guerrin et Fils, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Crays
Open, if still only modestly citrus. A little oak and lots of fine-textured mineral width. This is rather good. Wait a little for some of the oak to fade.
Gilles Guerrin, Saint Veran Cuvée Prestige
A modest but open nose. Wide, a little less ripe, mineral slightly saline. Good finish though
Guillemin, Viré-Clessé Aux Fargettes
A deep nose, green fruited. Wide and herby but the finish is okay…
A deep and lemon fruited nose. Wide, fresh fine complexity – ooh this is super. Excellent wine.
Marc Jambon et Fils, Mâcon Pierreclos Classique
A deep almost gassy nose. Good minerality, deeply flavoured, interesting and good.
Open and wide, perhaps a hint of oak. Gas, volume, freshness, excellent flavours. Super – a great finish!
De la Jobeline, Mâcon-Verzé
Quite high-toned, pretty yellow fruits. Mineral, les sweet than the last but nicely layered, finishes excellently…
Lacharme et Fils (Genière) Mâcon La Roche Vineuse
A big nose, lots of energy and very high-toned. Ooh mineral, direct, just a little padding, but the flavour isn’t my favourite. Some potential here – a fine finish.
Maurice Lapalus et Fils, Mâcon Pierreclos
Open fresh, nice wine. Hmm good volume, fine balance, modestly good flavour. An alround very good wine.
Fabrice Larochette, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Robées
Depth of aroma, limited width. Round, a lot of sweetness, silky. Overall a bit too sweet.
Louis Latour, Pouilly-Vinzelles En Paradis
A good nose that’s open above and narrower below. Mouth filling, with depth and concentration. Enough balance, quite complex but to wait for enjoyment..
de Boissieu (Château de Lavernette), Pouilly-Fuissé Vers Châine
A big open slightly lime nose, plenty of oak too. Oak, but lime and other citrus complexity in the mouth. Potentially super wine, but a long wait…
Yannick Letourneau, Mâcon-Burgy Vieilles-Vignes
A little greenery on the nose. Good volume, fine and mouth-watering, enjoyable flavour. This is very good.
Jean Loron, Mâcon Villages Chardonnay
A modest width of aroma. Wide, good volume with a little more intensity and a suggestion of salinity. A little less tasty than the last, but also very good.
A bright nose, quite pretty. Lots of open volume, like the Letourneau delicious flavours and here with even better definition. Top!
Jean Manciat, Mâcon-Charnay
Lots of aromatic depth, some oak here too. Wide, fresh, a little oak flavour. Quite good.
Les Vignerons de Mancey, Mâcon-Mancey
The nose that’s a mix of nice perfume and less nice herb. Direct and mineral, a little saline. A savoury wine, lacking some sweetness.
Merlin, Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles-Vignes
An interesting nose of deeper, almost reductive tones. Open, layered, yes a little reductive, mineral but a certain deliciousness too – carafe…
Pierre Meurgey-Crises, Viré-Clessé Vieilles-Vignes
Wide, a little lime aroma. Some gas. Nice in the mouth. Good texture and concentration after the gas fades! A super finish – very tasty here.
Montbarbon, Viré-Clessé Quintaine
A deep and interesting nose – quite attractive. Lots of volume, lots of flavour complexity – quite a perfumed wine. Very tasty too.
Gilles Morat, Pouilly-Fuissé Sur la Roche
A fresh nose, rather oaked. Fresher flavoured than the nose suggests – complex, wide, good energy. Wait for it, but this will be good.
Brenot Beranger (de Naisse), Viré-Clessé
Quite a pretty, perfumed nose. Modest weight but a good complexity and balance. Tasty wine.
Gilles Noblet, Pouilly-Fuissé
Quite a nice freshness, almost a hint of aniseed. Good volume, plenty of flavour, quite concentrated, in the context of 2016 this needs a little more lift.
Julien Pacaud, Saint Veran Les Pres Bâtards
A fresh if quite tight nose. Nice fresh volume, melting fresh flavour. A little sweet but still good.
Paquet et Fils, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieux Murs
A modest if quite attractive nose. Direct, fresh, good energy and a depth of mid-palate flavour. Fine in the finish. Very good.
Des Perelles Larochette, Saint Veran Le Clos
A fresh, open, attractive nose despite some oak. Round and fresh with plenty of flavour – today too much is oak. Tasty all the same…
Perraton Frères, Pouilly-Fuissé Clos Reissier le Cadole
A fresh if narrow nose. Open. Layered, good concentration – the flavour is not my favourite, but there’s plenty of it!
Perraud, Saint Veran
Quite an interesting nose – wide and complex. Good in the mouth with plenty of volume. A nice lingering finish too. Good.