2023 Verget Pouilly Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes

• Producer: Maison Verget
• Varietal: Chardonnay
• Region: Pouilly Fuisse
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Net volume: 750ml
• Vintage: 2023
• Cellar until 2030

Located in Solutré-Pouilly, Les Combes is one of Jean-Marie Guffens’s favourite vineyards, a bias that makes perfect sense when you see the vineyard and taste the wines. The oldest vines were planted in 1915 and face north. Another parcel of vines, a mere 70 years old, faces south. Each parcel is picked and vinified separately before blending. Guffens maintains that the resulting whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Incidentally, the soils here are clay and limestone, with a higher proportion of clay than most in this area (bringing power), and it’s therefore one of the few Verget wines to ferment entirely in oak barrels (only 25% new).

This may not be Premier Cru, but it is often Verget's top wine - albeit not quite as thick and viscous as Sur la Roche. The vines face both North (30%) and South (70%) and Verget pick them in three separate "tris" - as at Domaine Guffens. This leads to grapes of different ripeness and acidity levels. These are fermented separately and then blended together for oak ageing in barrel - of which 25% is new. Outstanding again this year, the nose is focused but promises great things with pure citrus oil and fleshy orchard fruits. The wood spice is enveloped in fruit, beautifully balanced for such a young wine. The palate delivers on the potential from the nose, with great density of fruit tightly coiled and never heavy. This is a little closed now, but it shows great potential and will reward patience in bottle. This is a wine of power and precision, effortlessly balanced between acid, fruit and wood. There is almost grip to this wine. The fruit builds in tandem with subtle spice through the mid-palate, bursting on the very long finish without ever losing harmony. This will be even better with a year or two in bottle. Thomas Parker MW

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