Tasting Notes

The colour is that of very pale yellow gold, brilliant and crystal-clear. The nose develops subtle fruit aromas (peach, pear) or acacia, honeysuckle and bracken, often over notes of fresh almond, hazelnut, cinnamon, butter, and sometimes honey. Exotic fruits are sometimes present, as are citrus notes (orange peel). On the palate, this white wine is dry and well-rounded, mineral (gun-flint) and lively from the first attack. Acidity and fatness come increasingly into play. The structure is harmonious, fresh and round.

Its clean, open attack and its citrussy notes call for dishes which can somewhat mitigate its ardour. An oily fish, poached or simply fried, will play this role, especially as the wine’s range of floral aromas respond splendidly to the fine salty flesh. Variations featuring seafood will also do well, as will risottos containing sea-food or mushrooms whose mellow texture will blend harmoniously with the acidity of the wine. It is also well-suited to goat cheeses, Bleu de Bresse, Comté, Beaufort, and Gruyère. 

Winery Notes

Sophie Cinier took over the small family estate around Fuissé in the early 2000s (2000). Sophie's family has long-standing ties to the local vineyard: her grandfather's vines (planted in 1941) came back under her control in 1998, allowing her to put the estate back into operation.

Initially, Sophie sold her grapes to merchants, but from 2005 onwards, she began to vinify her first vintages herself (approximately 1,200 bottles). The first winemaking processes took place in the family winery, before gradually building their own facilities. The estate has since increased its surface area and its acquisition of plots, while maintaining an emphasis on quality, plot expression, and manual viticulture.

The estate is located in Fuissé, in the Mâconnais region (Burgundy). The dominant soils are calcareous, stony, with very white (limestone) plateaus particularly in the locality of Vers Crâs where very renowned old vines are located. The exposure is favorable, and the altitude varies according to the plots; local conditions (wind, coolness) are important for ripeness and aromatic tension.

Sophie also buys grapes or must (especially for certain appellations that she does not have in her own vineyard, for example Saint-Véran). 

The style they advocate is that of pure, taut, elegant, terroir-driven white wines with the potential to age. Sophie asserts that Pouilly-Fuissé benefits from aging if the winemaking allows it. She seeks to avoid excessive interventions: no stirring, control of lees, moderate use of new wood.

The estate combines vineyard ownership and trading (purchasing grapes or must to complete the range).