Best buy White Burgundy from a top Pouilly-Fuissé producer
This delicious Chardonnay is another personal selection from my last buying trip to France. It’s another excellent example of the significant savings AWM newsletter subscribers regularly enjoy.
One of the great joys of being a wine merchant is getting to meet wonderful people from all over the world who share the love and regard for our favorite beverage. It’s even more special when I get to meet them on their home turf. Without a doubt, Burgundy is a top favorite.
Burgundy is one of the most important wine regions in the world; however, they produce just a small amount of wine. Everything there is done on a small scale, and in most cases, vineyard ownership is measured row by row, not by hectare. Thanks to this small scale of production, winemakers in Burgundy have a very personal attachment to their vineyards. It’s also very likely that guy or gal in overalls jumping off of the tractor is the owner and winemaker.
Burgundy and its wines are relatively easy to understand once you’re armed with some basic information about the region.
Burgundy - World class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
The Macôn is all about Chardonnay, and for me, it’s the epicenter of affordable Chardonnay from Burgundy. The most famous Chardonnay from this region is Pouilly-Fuissé, produced in the area that surrounds the two Macônnais villages of Pouilly and Fuissé.
There are additional villages-designated wines named for their vineyard locations such as Mâcon-Chaintré, Mâcon-Fuissé, Mâcon-Vinzelles, and Mâcon-Charnay. Wines that are labeled Mâcon-Villages are regional wines that come from a broad area of the Mâcon and blended from village sites throughout the entire region.
Domaine Le Galantin and the Pascal family
With Yannick Paquet –2018 AWM buying trip
The Paquet family settled in the Mâcon in the 1950s, securing vineyard property in the village of Fuissé. The family’s base of operation is Domaine De Fussiacus — named after the Roman governor who founded the village of Fuissé The family’s vineyard holdings stretch over gentle south-east facing hills, featuring clay and limestone soils. Organically farmed vineyards, hand harvesting, and natural yeast inoculation all add up to stellar quality Chardonnay!
The vineyards of “Domaine des Granges” were acquired years ago by Yannick’s father, Jean-Paul Paquet, producing wines under the Domaine Domaine de Fussiacus and Domaine Jean-Paul Paquet labels. Jean-Paul passed management duties on to his son, Yannick, and now the wines are once again produced under their original name.
Yannick Paquet became the third generation grower and winemaker at his family’s property. Yannick is a true fanatic for detail in vineyard and winery, and his meticulous devotion to quality leads to outstanding results in the bottle
In the glass, this wine will remind you of just how much you love White Burgundy. I love that the quality and attention to detail of this Pouilly-Fuissé producer drill directly down to their Mâcon-Villages. Thanks to the property’s higher elevation and the calcareous soil, there’s a beautiful lift and nerve that’s in perfect balance with a creamy richness.
Golden apple and yellow fruits meet notes of preserved lemon and citrus, all joining in a fresh and vibrant palate. This versatile Chardonnay is a delight on its own and will shine with roasted or grilled chicken, lighter pork dishes, and of course, seafood.
Chardonnay lover? Burgundy lover? Stock up on this outstanding value from a small family vigneron.