2010 Pouilly-Vinzelles, Climat Les Quarts, La Soufrandière, Bret Brothers, Burgundy
Critics reviews
2010 Pouilly-Vinzelles “Les Quarts”: (from vines between 40 and 65 years of age). While there are floral notes here as well, the nose is more centrally driven by a variety of citrus characters, especially lemon but also lime and grapefruit. The pure, intense and very rich middle weight flavors are also intensely stony and this is like rolling rocks around in your mouth on the ultra-racy, energetic, explosive and bone dry finish. This stunning effort is certainly finer than the straight Pouilly-Vinzelles but not necessarily any more complex.
Brothers Jean-Guillaume and Jean-Philippe Bret told me that 2010 was a “painful vintage simply because the losses from hail that fell on the 12th of July were devastating. We lost fully 50% of the crop in white and 100% of it in red. In our gamay vines, and the damage to the wood was sufficient that it may very well have an impact on the 2011 crop as well.
2010 produced very concentrated wines and are largely classic in style though the northern part of the Mâconnais saw a lot of noble rot which of course imparts an exotic character to the wines.”
(Allen Meadows, burghound.com - Nov 2011)
About this WINE
Bret Bros.
Grandfather Bret bought this property in Vinzelles in 1947. In 2000 Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret took their vineyards out of the local co-operative and established their Domaine de la Soufrandière (see here for the wine selection from la Soufrandière) with 4 hectares of vines entirely in the appellation of Pouilly Vinzelles. They have also developed a negociant activity using the name Bret Brothers.
Previous experience between them includes stages at Ridge and Newton in California and Comte Lafon in Burgundy. Most of their vines are in a perfectly situated east facing slope of Vinzelles called Les Quarts, on Bajocian limestone with a high silica/quartz content.
The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2000, with biodynamic principles being progressively introduced. The grapes, both their own and those purchased, are picked in small containers, then whole bunch pressed in the tinailler (local Maconnais and Beaujolais word for cuverie) before descending by gravity to the barrel cellar. They are currently all taken out of barrel for bottling after 11 months.
Pouilly-Vinzelles
Pouilly-Vinzelles is a small wine-producing appellation located in the Mâconnais region of Burgundy. It lies just south of the famous Côte d'Or region, and is characterised by limestone-rich soils, which contribute to the minerality and complexity of the wines. The region also benefits from a continental climate, with warm summers and cool autumns, ideal for ripening Chardonnay grapes.
Chardonnay is the dominant grape variety in Pouilly-Vinzelles, accounting for all of the wines produced in the appellation. The wines are typically dry, full-bodied, and elegant, with notes of citrus, stone fruits, and sometimes a hint of hazelnut. They are known for their freshness and balance, with good acidity and a lingering finish.
Like other appellations in Burgundy, Pouilly-Vinzelles has strict regulations governing grape growing and winemaking. These regulations dictate factors such as grape varieties allowed, vineyard practices, and ageing requirements, all aimed at ensuring the quality and authenticity of the wines.
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
Here the yields were particularly small and the wine exceptionally concentrated as a result. This year it includes grapes that usually go into the cuvée millerandée, a wine not bottled this year as there was too little made. This is spectacular wine from the Bret’s flagship vineyard. Magically intense, it has a dramatic mineral core and amazing persistence.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The three Bret Brothers are now presiding over an expanded cellar at their home base, Domaine de la Soufrandière, though this development is intended to give them better working facilities rather than because they want to grow the business dramatically. It is a particularly small crop this year as a result of some hail damage as well as the poor flowering experienced elsewhere. Despite this, the wines are exactly what the Bret’s like to produce – pure and crystal clear, with intensity more than weight.
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