Domaine Roc des Boutires is a modestly sized estate with 4.2 hectares of vines spread across 14 parcels that were planted (in the 1970s) between 210 and 430 metres above sea level. This a relatively new addition to the stable of wines of the Parinet family – the owners of Château du Moulin à Vent. They bought the produce of the domaine as must since 2011, and finally managed to buy the domaine itself in 2016. So this is their first ‘domaine’ vintage.
The domaine itself is was located in the village of Pouilly – but the team of Chateau du Moulin à Vent don’t have a place there to vinify so bring the grapes to Moulin à Vent – which is allowed because Romanèche-Thorins is one of the villages authorized to vinify Pouilly-Fuissé by the Pouilly-Fuissé décret – the rules!
The difficult growing season manifests itself with yields for all the wines of 20 hl/ha or less – whilst they avoided the 2016 frosts, they were significantly impacted by hail on April 13th 2016, which basically removed the vines’ primary buds. The secondary buds were still in-tact, but much less productive, hence, the yields. The good summer meant that the grapes that remained were in good health.
The wines were fermented 70% in tank, 30% in barrel – on their lees – with a total elevage of 15 months. There was no batonnage and a normal malolactic. Bottled on December 14, 2017.
Samples were kindly provided by the domaine, and were tasted in mid-October:
2016 Pouilly-Fuissé
Medium colour, a nice freshness and a citrus inflection to the nose too – no oak to note. Volume in the mouth, faintly saline but a melting depth of concentrated flavour too. Mineral, just a little vibrant finishing. Hmm, this is rather excellent for a ‘base’ wine.
2016 Pouilly-Fuissé En Bertilionne
Fresh, more depth of aroma, here with an accent of oak – but transient oak – 5 minutes later there is none to find. Beautiful texture, good width of flavour, with concentrated ripe lemon fruit in the mix, faint bitters too – serious, complex wine, mineral-inflected and very long. This should require a little patience but it’s quite something!
2016 Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthières
A fresh nose again, a beautiful line of aroma, almost an impression of sweetened butter to the aroma but no direct vanilla impression like the last. Wide, fresh, more than a little mineral, only slowly melting over the tongue, so a much sleeker impression on the palate. Less open than the Bertilionne, in fact easily the tightest of these three. Super components, plenty of concentration, very modestly phenolic in the citrus finish. Patience, a great wine under construction!