Domaine Merlin : Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2023 Domaine Merlin

Tasting

Colour
This French white wine displays a lovely pale yellow hue enhanced by bright highlights.

Nose
Wonderfully complex, the aromatic bouquet reveals notes of citrus fruit, white peach and ripe apple, harmoniously underscored by an intense minerality.

Palate
Deep and refined, the palate offers superb balance carried by lovely vibrancy. Stone fruit and citrus flavours intertwine with a persistent mineral thread, leading to a particularly long and sophisticated finish.

Food and wine pairing

This wine pairs beautifully with delicate fish, scallops, or poultry served with a beurre blanc sauce.

Service and storage

For the best tasting experience, the Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2023 should be served at a temperature of between 10 and 13 degrees, after a brief period of aeration. This wine can be enjoyed now but has the structure to age in the cellar until around 2033.

Other characteristics

Praised by critics, this vintage was awarded a score of 16.5 out of 20 by Jancis Robinson.

The authentic expression of a white Burgundy terroir by Domaine Merlin

The estate

Founded in 1987 by Olivier and Corinne Merlin, Domaine Merlin is a major reference in the Mâconnais, in Burgundy. Starting with just a handful of hectares, the current owners, joined in 2017 by their sons Paul and Théo, now oversee a 22-hectare vineyard. Guided by an artisanal philosophy and a deep respect for the environment, the family strives to reveal the richness of the local terroirs through demanding viticultural practices, such as horse-drawn ploughing and exclusively hand-harvested grapes.

The vineyard

The Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2023 comes from vines around 75 years old, located in the commune of Chaintré. Rising to an altitude of 250 metres and facing west, these plots lie on clay-limestone soils particularly rich in iron oxide, which lends the wine its distinctive minerality. The estate applies methods inspired by organic farming here to preserve the vitality of the soils.

The vintage

2023 stood out for its particularly favourable weather conditions in the region. A hot, dry summer encouraged ideal, rapid ripening of the berries, leading to a historically early harvest between the end of August and the beginning of September.

Winemaking and aging

After a hand harvest and rigorous sorting, the whole bunches are gently pressed. The Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2023 then undergoes a light settling process before beginning alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in oak barrels. Aging continues in these same barrels for 18 months. Finally, the wine is racked and lightly filtered, without any fining, before bottling.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.