Notes:

I'm always on the search for that wine that delivers great acidity and minerality but at the same time offers enough flesh to make it interesting. The new release from Marie Pierre Manciat ticks all those boxes in a package that comes in under $30. Super impressive!

 

Born into a family of vignerons that have been making wine for 150 years, Marie-Pierre Manciat early on spent her school vacations in the cellars and vineyards, soaking up knowledge and experience, all setting the stage when she took over the reins of her family’s estate in 2002 and became a sixth-generation winemaker. In addition to practicing sustainable agriculture, the Manciats are among the few remaining vignerons in the Macon that still harvest by hand. Since taking over for her parents, Marie-Pierre has set an even higher standard, bringing the estate to an elite level in the appellation. She now maintains 22 hectares with every bit of the passion she began with, and each year it is clearly evident with the release of a new vintage. She strives to create a harmony between depth, complexity, minerality, and drinkability in all of her wines.

 

Today’s 2019 Pouilly Fuissé ‘Les Petites Bruyères’ comes from a 25-year-old, east facing parcel planted to clay and limestone soils. The wine is fermented naturally and entirely in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Pouilly-Fuissé remains one of the most underrated yet historically appreciated appellations for those looking for the delineated and nuanced terroir of Burgundy. In the right hands, the wines can compete with, and outclass, many of their Côte de Beaune counterparts. Compared with higher-priced wines from the Côte de Beaune, the best Pouilly-Fuissé bottlings from small, thoughtful growers like Manciat, can offer way more satisfaction for your dollar. Today’s wine is a prime example, and a far cry from the overtly ripe, dripping-in-oak whites that earned Pouilly-Fuissé its reputation decades ago. Rich, layered, and full of tense minerality, it’s a perfectly balanced Chardonnay that rivals Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, and/or Meursault priced twice as high. This 2019 sports an inviting nose of slightly wax aromas of yellow apple, white peach, Anjou pear following into a palate with a racy, mineral core accented with hints of ginger, white pepper, and tangy citrus. A knockout value to load up your cellar!