Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat "Les Quarts" Zen AOC 2022 1500ml Magnum
A taut, profound Burgundy Chardonnay crafted from vines up to 80 years old. In this generous magnum bottle, this biodynamic white wine combines salty minerality with expressive freshness.
Bottler: Bret Brothers/La Soufrandière, 125 rue Aux Bourgeois, 71680 Vinzelles / France
In the glass
Colour
Pale golden yellow.
Nose
Tart citrus notes, fresh lemon verbena and mint, underpinned by subtle nuances of beeswax and stone fruit.
Palate
Self-contained and balanced, juicy pome and stone fruit meet crisp acidity, gripping power and a salty, tart finish with refined tannins.
Character
Taut, mineral-driven and defined by pure, elegant tension.
Pairing
Roast chicken with oranges, fennel and aniseed, toasted bread topped with sardines and sweet onions, or devilled eggs with miso mayonnaise.
Notes
Demeter-certified, hand-picked from a top vineyard site with iron-rich soils, ploughed by horse, and spontaneously fermented and aged for over 17 months.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
The wine presents itself in the glass in a radiant, bright golden yellow.
Nose
An extraordinarily captivating entry: Tart citrus notes meet fresh lemon verbena and mint. Compared to the classic cuvée, a cool, taut aromatic profile dominates here – subtly underpinned by a fine waxy nuance, whilst ripe stone fruit keeps a polite distance in the background.
Palate
On the palate, the Cuvée Zen reveals itself as poised yet filled with energy. A juicy texture of yellow pome fruit and stone fruit is carried by a striking, assertive acidity that provides immense drive and palpable tension.
Finish
The finish turns out to be exceptionally long-lasting, saline and tart. Pure citric fruit lingers on the palate alongside fine, grippy tannins.
Terroir & Origin
The Les Quarts vineyard site is considered one of the prime spots of the southern Mâconnais in the Pouilly-Vinzelles appellation. The south-east facing parcels rest on iron- and pebble-rich clay and limestone soils from the Bajocian age. The Bret family’s vines here are between 48 and 80 years old.
Grape Variety & Vinification
Single-varietal Chardonnay, grown according to the Demeter-certified biodynamic guidelines of the brothers Jean-Philippe, Jean-Guillaume and Marc-Antoine Bret. The vineyards are partly ploughed by horse. Following the manual harvest at the end of August 2022, whole-bunch pressing and spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts took place. The 17-month ageing initially occurred in barrels and large oak foudres, including complete malolactic fermentation. Minimally sulphured (total sulphur 34 mg/l).
Food Pairings
Wonderful with oven-roasted chicken drumsticks with orange slices, fennel and aniseed, crispy grilled bread with sardines, sweet onions and yellow tomatoes or devilled eggs filled with miso mayonnaise and Aleppo chilli flakes.
Special Features
As a Magnum (1500ml), this excellent Burgundy Chardonnay matures even more slowly and elegantly. The Demeter-certified Cuvée Zen reveals the terroir of Les Quarts in a particularly puristic, taut and citrus-vibrant interpretation.
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