Saint-Veran

The nose is downright flamboyant with aromas including peach and – as Olivier rightly points out – tangerine, as well as a well-judged dose of toasty oak. The palate is at once ripe and voluminous yet fresh. Best of all is the long, salty finish, which seems to be a hallmark of Olivier’s 2016s.

From 55-year-old vines with a high proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté, there is a floral ripeness to the bouquet which leads seamlessly to the broad and open palate. Generous and suave, with just the right amount of restraining acidity, this wine flirts with hedonism before tightening up to give a nod to an underlying seriousness. Drink 2019-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Olivier and Corinne Merlin have been established in the Mâconnais village of La Roche Vineuse since 1987. Over the years they have bought the domaine which they originally rented, built a new cuverie, planted new vineyards locally and spread out into further appellations such as Pouilly-Fuissé and Moulin-à-Vent. Theirs has been one of the great success stories of the modern Mâconnais. They expect to be joined shortly by sons Théo and Paul. Having made his first wines in 1987, this year represents Olivier’s 30th vintage in La Roche Vineuse. It is fair to say that in this time he has contributed much to raising standards in the Mâconnais. Proof of his great skill as a winemaker came in the form of a bottle of 1990 Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes, a highlight of a lunch at Berry Bros. & Rudd in July to mark Jasper Morris’s retirement. 

With freshness atypical for St Véran, the nose is inviting with plenty of white stone fruit. This follows through onto the palate alongside intense, crisp acidity which builds to give a clean finish. Drink 2018-2022.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

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 Domaine de la Soufrandière with four hectares of vines in Pouilly-Vinzelles. They also have a négociant business, Bret Brothers. Their vines are, mostly, on a perfectly situated eastfacing slope of Vinzelles called Les Quarts, on Bajocian limestone with a high silica/quartz content. They are organic and biodynamic. The Bret brothers dub 2016 a “vigneron’s vintage”, which is to say that the key was to be in the vines. The hail on 13th April did significant damage but hard work in the vineyards (spraying biodynamic treatments from a backpack) paid off and ensured quality fruit. The Brets have added new vineyards in St Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé to the Soufrandière domaine, thus the whole range we buy is now from estate-grown fruit.

Raised in a mixture of foudres and demi-muids, this is quite a new cuvée for Lafon (the first vintage was 2014). This wine is a blend of two south-facing parcels and one north-facing plot. There is real ripeness to this wine, with notes of orange blossom on the nose, along with a touch of smoky bacon. The palate is rounded and exuberant, with orange peel flavours; the firm, mineral core keeps the ripeness in check. Drink 2019-2023.
Adam Bruntlett, Brugundy Buyer

In September 1999 the Lafon family bought a domaine at Milly-Lamartine, renaming it Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon. In May 2003 a further six hectares in the villages of Uchizy and Chardonnay were added, followed by Viré-Clessé in 2009 and Prissé, PouillyFuissé and St Véran in 2014. The whole operation, based at Milly, is now looked after by Caroline Gon under the supervision of Dominique Lafon and totals 26 hectares. The vineyards are now biodynamic, and the wines are vinified partly in stainless steel, partly in large wooden foudres and partly in demimuids, depending on the cuvée. It hailed a little in St Véran. Harvest began on 15th September, finishing with the Mâcon-Bussières on 1st October, allowing Dominique and his cellar master, Caroline Gon, to pick each of their parcels at the perfect level of ripeness. Caroline explained that the acidity levels of the 2016s are not dissimilar to those of 2015, but that the lower alcohol means the wines feel fresher and more energetic.

This wine includes a new parcel which came as part of a deal with the Bret Brothers to jointly manage another estate. These old vines at higher altitude give the wine more freshness and complexity. The nose is opulent and expressive with white flowers. The palate has some rich orange fruit, but there is plenty of tension which keeps things balanced. Drink 2020-2025.

The hot and dry conditions of summer 2017 have yielded mixed blessings; the wines are deliciously ripe but the volumes have suffered a little due to drought stress. Picking began early (at the end of August), with the resulting wines being described by Caroline as of really high quality, with good balance and maturity. Dominique and Caroline take great care to pick each parcel (and indeed sub-parcel) at precisely the right time to ensure optimum ripeness.

Located at the foot of the north side of the Roche de Vergisson, this is a cool site which has come into its own in recent warm vintages. Young vines give plenty of energy and fruit, while the finish is fresh and crystalline. Half the wine had no sulphur added before bottling. Drink 2019-2023.

The Bret brothers described 2017 as another warm and early vintage, with harvest beginning on the 26th August. They picked early compared to many of their peers, Jean-Philippe explaining that maturity came very quickly. Their decision to bring the grapes in quickly, along with their organic and biodynamic viticulture, has resulted in wonderfully fresh wines. In the cellar they are experimenting with lower levels of sulphur during the winemaking process, with the aim of obtaining full fruit and terroir expression in their wines.

St Véran is expected to receive Premier Cru status in the next few years, and 90 percent of the vineyards that make up this cuvée are likely to be classified at that level. The nose is inviting with plenty of juicy fruit. In the mouth, it is initially rich, with plenty of concentration and a spicy, mineral finish. Drink 2019-2023.

The Brets took on these vines in 2016, but they were so badly hailed that it produced a tiny crop. It is a long parcel, so ripens in stages and has to be picked in successive tries. Raised 50-50 in tank and barrel, the 2017 displays plenty of ripe fruit, a floral complexity and a crisp, citrus finish which radiates from the midpalate. Drink 2020-2025.

The Bret brothers described 2017 as another warm and early vintage, with harvest beginning on the 26th August. They picked early compared to many of their peers, Jean-Philippe explaining that maturity came very quickly. Their decision to bring the grapes in quickly, along with their organic and biodynamic viticulture, has resulted in wonderfully fresh wines. In the cellar they are experimenting with lower levels of sulphur during the winemaking process, with the aim of obtaining full fruit and terroir expression in their wines.

This vineyard has a high proportion of Chardonnay Muscaté, which gives the wine its characteristic floral nose, with rose petals mingling with confit lemon. This parcel is amongst the first to be harvested. Spicy and rounded, it’s almost oily, but there’s also a lingering tension in the background. Drink 2020-2024.