Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat „Les Quarts“ Zen AOC 2022

Wine Description for Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat „Les Quarts“ Zen AOC 2022 from La Soufrandière

Colour & Appearance

Pale golden yellow with luminous brilliance – a classic Chardonnay dress from the Mâconnais that promises freshness and precision.

Nose

Restrained and focused, this Zen vinification presents itself with herbal citrus notes that emerge considerably more dominant than in the classic Les Quarts. A subtle waxy texture plays around aromas of verbena and mint, whilst ripe stone fruit and toffee deliberately recede into the background. The nose feels tighter, clearer, more concentrated – decidedly zen-like.

Palate

Here the true philosophy of this wine reveals itself: balance through tension. A juicy, lining fruitiness of yellow pome fruit and stone fruits is threaded through with precise citrus aromas. The acidity builds continuously in pressure without ever becoming aggressive – rather, it structures elegantly and lends the wine inner calm despite its dynamism. The wine seems to rest within itself.

Finish

Long, saline-herbal and carried by pure citric fruit. A fine tannin – likely from extended barrel ageing – adds additional texture and grip to the finale. The finish vibrates for minutes still, mineral and precise.

Terroir & Origin

The vineyard site Les Quarts ranks among the elite of Pouilly-Vinzelles. South-east facing, on iron-rich clay-limestone soil from the Bajocian, with vines aged 48 to 80 years. Since 2008, ploughed with horses – respect for terroir in its purest form.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Chardonnay, hand-harvested end of August 2022. Spontaneous fermentation following whole-bunch pressing, 17 months‘ ageing in barrels and large wooden vessels with complete malolactic fermentation. With only 34 mg/l total sulphur, an almost unadorned natural wine that speaks its provenance unfiltered.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Roasted chicken leg with orange slices, fennel and anise, grilled bread with sardines, sweet onions and yellow tomatoes or eggs filled with miso mayonnaise and Aleppo chilli – the wine loves aromatic complexity and saline notes.

Special Characteristics

The „Zen“ cuvée is the contemplative sibling of the classic Les Quarts: tighter, more citric, more focused. A wine for lovers of precise, unvarnished Burgundy wines with soul.