At the two extremes of Burgundy, the chardonnay has provided much of interest in 2018.
There is much excellent Chablis to the north. To the south, bordering Beaujolais and wearing a little more depth and concentration, though still with super balance are the 2018 wines of Pouilly-Fuissé. Of course, on average, you will have to pay a few more euros a bottle when compared to 1er cru Chablis, and for the last wines tasted here you could be drinking grand cru Chablis, but there are many super bottles to found and enjoyed from this vintage – I was impressed by the consistency that they showed.
There are actually 3 ‘Pouillys’ but given that Pouilly-Fuissé accounts for nearly 90% of their combined production, I chose not to include either Pouilly-Loché or Pouilly-Vinzelles.
Annual production in hectolitres
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Pouilly-Fuissé | 41,362 | 44,570 | 31,741 |
The wines…
What a great set of wines! Two were corked – that’s such a shame when DIAM and others seem so effective. What’s important to get across is how consistent the quality was too – from ‘generic’ contract Pouilly-Fuissé to wines with important climat names on their labels. Good as the selection of Chablis was, elsewhere in this report, I think this selection was even better – despite you know how I love to have freshness in my wine!
Courtesy the growers syndicate, the four areas that can produce Pouilly-Fuissé
2018 Eric Forest, Pouilly-Fuissé AME Forest
Domaine-branded cork.
Hmm – a deep and welcoming nose of citrus-custard – plenty of well-balanced oak. A little gas, but it’s mouth-filling, comforting, very delicious flavour. There’s only a suggestion of minerality at this stage, but I like the shape of this wine. Still some oak to lose of-course, but delicious!
2018 Aegerter, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes
Domaine wine, domaine-branded agglomerate ‘technical’ cork.
A more vertical nose, plenty of freshness. More direct, with a silk to the texture, some minerality here, indeed plenty. This has no hard edges but is a little more structural than the last – I think it excellent – a nicely punchy finish here too.
2018 Maison Champy, Pouilly-Fuissé
Appellation- but not domaine-branded, DIAM5.
A faint DIAM-reduction. Even more driving and direct than the last wine. Then comes a nicely complex and, again, delicious middle and finishing flavour. Aromatically it doesn’t start well – so decant – but this is another excellent example of 2018 Pouilly…
Domaine-branded cork.
A little more depth of yellow colour. Round and deep aroma – some oak, citrus and minerality blend together. A lot of C02 here. Mouth-filling, mineral, great flavour – decant to get rid of the gas for drinking now, or better still, wait 2 years – but bravo.
2018 Château de la Tour de L’Ange, Pouilly-Fuissé
Not domaine-branded cork.
A rather compact, slightly mineral nose. A little more phenolic than previous wines – emphasising the minerality. Good freshness and good, concentrated length.
Not domaine-branded cork.
A nice volume of attractive aroma – without obvious oak support. Mouth-filling, fresh – there’s a fine energy here. Supple, modestly sweet fruit and an excellent finish once more – great ‘basic’ PF!
Not domaine-branded cork.
Plenty of colour. A finer nose – no oak, cool and mineral. Oh! Sweeping flavour – lovely texture though almost a touch of tannin. A fine wave of intense finishing flavour – bravo!
2018 Eric Forest Pouilly-Fuissé La Roche
Domaine-branded cork.
A more pinched nose. Lots of gas and corked flavour… Ouch…
2018 Jean Loron, Pouilly-Fuissé Les Vieux Murs
An un- (domaine) branded cork.
Lots of depth to this aroma – some oak in support but subtly done – eventually becoming quite floral too. Supple, wide – certainly concentrated. The texture starts silky but there’s also a little tannin if you look for it. Layered flavour in the middle and finish. A wine that needs to unfurl more – but hardly a complaint for such a young thing. It will be excellent, perhaps better than that, but you should have a little patience.
2018 Sébastien Giroux, Pouilly-Fuissé
An un- (domaine) branded cork.
Both deep and high-toned – minimal sulfur use here but the aromas have an inviting energy. Plenty of gas (probably due to low sulfur!) a different flavour profile – layered, then a little structure – not a wine of fat, but always with a floral companion in the flavours. Different but delicious!
2018 Corrette, Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Ronchevat’
An un- (domaine) branded cork.
Totally corked – the worst!
Un-branded DIAM3 – the first seen this week!
Aromatically a little compact but also with an impression of tight concentration – slowly releasing some floral notes and a little peach-stone. Hmm, this is wide and delicious over the palate – a little floral and easy flavoured but such a fine flavour nonetheless. A nice extra lift to the flavour before settling into a long finish. Bravo ‘genereric’ Pouilly!
2018 Sébastien Giroux, Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles-Vignes
An un- (domaine) branded cork.
Plenty of colour. Oof – a little reductive but also low-sulfur nose – a very forward and full and inviting aromatic. Lots of gas. Direct and mineral, the flavours less overtly low-sulfur than the nose. The finish is super – a burst of mouth-watering flavour. Excellent!
2018 Marcel Couturier, Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Clos Reyssié’
Completely unbranded cork.
Plenty of colour once more. A big, fresh, floral nose – lovely! Mouth-filling, modestly accentuated by CO2 but behind is fine texture. Another wine with an extra push to the flavour in the finish – modestly mouth-watering, immodestly tasty. Excellent.
Completely unbranded cork.
Plenty of colour again. More vibrant – still floral but better intertwined with mineral aroma – that’s super. Fainter gas. More driving and more mineral – that’s a beauty – bravo. I love the overall character of this wine. Again with and extra burst of energy for the finish.
An un- (domaine) branded cork.
Deeper colour once more. As the other wines, the low sulfur approach, not as full a nose as some of the domaine’s other wines but also a certain elegance. Really lots of gas – decant. Deliciously complex fruit – that’s really great. Sinuously mineral in the middle and finish – great here. Bravo!
Domaine JA Ferret
As they sent me so many wines, I chose to taste them together. All sealed with domaine-branded DIAM10
A complex nose but not a forward nose – faint flowers and salinity. Really mouth-filling with good freshness and a certain transparency – clarity even – to the flavour. Not the most concentrated and just a tiny but attractive reduction in the flavour – lots of finishing complexity too. For a ‘basic’ Pouilly, this is great.
Light colour as the last. Floral, a little more depth of aroma here – with a faint accent of oak. Mouth-filling again – here with more complexity and certainly a little more oak but more minerality too. Beautifully mouth-watering in the more intense finish. I’d wait a year or two for the oak to fade, but a great wine all the same.
A more vertical – up and down nose – just a faint but attractive agrume-reduction at the base. Wider, fuller, a little less overt energy much very mouth-watering and miner – wow! More a cellar-candidate than the last with less oak showing. Massive great wine – you can probably wait as long as you like!
2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Le Clos
A very calm, very modest nose – subtly reductive – but quite compact. Almost as large as the Prouges in the mouth, but a little more mouth-watering energy is on display. Almost chewy – in a good way – in the finishing flavours. Much more accessible than the last wine – an excellent drink.
Not the biggest nose, but one that pulls you in – fine, elegant – a certain clarity. Great – mouth-filling, classy, structural, energetic wine, modestly accented with a little coconut oak – if someone told you it was Meursault-Perrières from an important producer, you would say thank-you. Great wine!
2018 Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Tournant de Pouilly’
Deeply aromatic – there’s something extra here – though not ‘better.’ Like the last with the energy turned down a little but with more steel in its mineral muscle. Extra oak again, like the Ménétrières. Long, layered finishing – but less demonstrative. If you have only these two, leave this in the cellar longer and concentrate on the Ménétrières for now. Simply excellent!
