Pouilly-Fuissé "Quintessence" 2011, Domaine Sangouard-Guyot

Driving back from a holiday in the south of France earlier this year, we stopped off part-way to see Catherine and Pierre-Emmanuel Sangouard who run Domaine Sangouard-Guyot in the Maconnais village of Vergisson.

The domaine, part of the Patrimoine Des Terroirs group has a commanding view of the rocks of Vergisson and Solutré, as well as of the unfolding countryside all the way to Switzerland; the vineyards are dotted all around but the vines for this wine are at the top of the rock of Vergisson, within sight of the domaine.

Sandy yellow in the glass, on the nose there are the ripe aromas of ripe orchard  fruit, yeasty pear skin and spicy new oak.

On the palate, there is more ripe orchard fruit, a pleasant malic, citrussy, grapefruit tartness, a creamy, oatmealy depth and the buzzy underpinnings of some well-judged new oak.

Mouthfilling and long on the palate, it is elegant and precise with pure fruit - it's just rather young at this stage and needs at least a few more months, if not years, for everything to harmonise fully.

Having opened it on Christmas eve, I find it just starting to come into its own a few days later; I rather wish I had bought a case now to see how it develops over the years.

Match with langoustines, smoked fish, veal in a creamy sauce or guinea fowl.

€16 from the cellar door - not currently available in the UK.

Other related articles
Views on Terroir in Burgundy: Sangouard-Guyot
Restaurant L'Alembic: Nuits St Georges
Pouilly-Fuissé "Authentique", 2009, Domaine Sangouard-Guyot


Links
Domaine Sangouard-Guyot - website, LinkedIn
Catherine Sangouard - Facebook
Patrimoine Des Terroirs - website