About this WINE
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
Full of pale lemon and lime, the nose suggests a weight of fruit but also majors on the underlying minerality. Very slightly saline notes lead the way, then a robust peachiness, and a precise fresh finish. With terrific complexity, this is a thoroughly interesting as well as a beautifully made wine. Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Wine Director
The expanded cellar makes work much easier now for the three Bret Brothers. They report a difficult year in the vineyards but a good result overall. The wines have good acidity, if less trenchant than 2010, and more fruit weight than 2011. For the first time the Bret Brothers crushed some of their grapes before pressing them, which they feel gives the wines a fresher dimension. All the Pouilly cuvées listed here now receive 18 months in barrel before bottling.
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