Tasted with Audrey Braccini, in Fuissé, 15 June 2023.
Domaine Ferret
166 rue Adrien Arcelin
71960 Fuissé
Tel: +33 3 85 35 61 56
www.domaine-ferret.com
More reports with Domaine Ferret
I was lucky to taste with Audrey just before she left the domaine – she was heading to the Loire, rejoining her other half, Cyril Chirouze, who had already been working there since November.
Audrey on 2021:
“All the bottlings have been done – for us it’s a ‘microscopic’ vintage. The hail came in June – it wasn’t the frost, particularly, here that was the problem – we had some frost but it wasn’t vicious. The hail came from the direction of Leynes & Chasselas – Chaintre and Vergisson weren’t touched but all the centre part of Pouilly was. For all that, I think it’s a great vintage that you can compare with the classic style of 2014 – and keep – I’d recommend patience. It’s a vintage that despite the trials of the year, I forget them when I taste the wines. The ‘basic’ Pouilly-Fuissé cuvées are usually bottled as two separate wines but given instances of 5 hl/ha across the domaine, this year they were assembled.”
Audrey on 2022:
2022 was also not an easy vintage. 22 August was our early start for harvesting, we thought earlier but a small 10mm rain came just before and we though we’d better let that work through as we really lacked water in this vintage. But the wines are seductive with a nice balancing juiciness – but the window for harvesting was a very short one I think.
The wines…
Such timy volumes – but if you see them, buy them – just be patient 🙂
All sealed with DIAM since 2012:
2021 Pouilly-Fuissé
Nice attack – width of very attractive yellow-shaded citrus. Lovey direction here – so obviously mineral – with a bubblingly attractive energy – the barrel is very discrete – that’s just a beautiful wine. One that finished with even a little more intensity at the end. A super persistence for their ‘basic’ wine…
Part of 1er Perrières, a clos of vines next to the old domaine – but they keep it separate from their Perrières bottling – ‘as the wines are so different.’
An inviting floral perfume balances a mineral structure – that’s lovely. More incisive, more mineral, but vibrant too – the essence of citrus but growing wider with a little extra finishing cushion. ‘Yes, it’s this generosity that sets the wine apart from the rest of our Perrières!‘ Simply top wine!
2021 Pouilly-Fuissé Le Clos des Prouges Tête de Cru
The first vineyard that was bought in Pouilly by Louis Jadot in 2005. Originally vinified at the Chateau des Jacques. 2 ha. Not yet a 1er cru – it will be reassessed in 15 years – apparently, there wasn’t sufficient historical info.
A silkier width, slightly more generous with just a little extra accent from the barrels. Hmm – starting smaller but quickly broadening with an intense beam of flavour – properly mineral and citrussy mouth-watering. A wine that I wait longer for, to allow the little extra wood accompaniment to fade. But what a wine…
2021 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Perrières 1er CruTête de Cru
From La Baudotte – the difference to the Clos is that the vines are turning more south-east
A silkier, calmer nose – some subtle white flower influence. Like the last, a wine that grows in the mouth – with cushioned intensity, plenty of minerality and, for the first time, a more overt salinity too. This finish is more fluid – so engrossing – not exactly the finishing power of some, but certainly holding your attention – simply beautiful wine.
A mix of soil types in the vines here – plain east facing 0.8 ha. ‘This was the ultimate wine for Madame Ferret – they could sell the rest of the domaine but not the Ménétrières’
Airy, showing a little more than the last – and very, very classy. Hmm – a different shape – a core of mouth-watering intensity – more spherical wine – there’s oak but more of an afterthought – though for keeping exactly for that. Great wine.
From Vers Pouilly Pouilly – Les Res 1er cru showing on the back label.
Hmm – a little extra aromatic volume here and it’s the first with an extra spice note. Clean, wide – a wine of clarity and energy – the oak less visible than for the Menetrières but holding a wonderful, clean, width of finishing flavour – almost an extra calm, almost zen style to this finish – fascinating!