2023 Chateau Des Quarts Pouilly-Fuisse Clos des Quarts 1er Cru, Maconnais

Clos des Quarts is one of the great vineyards of Pouilly Fuissé, a walled monopole site jointly owned by Olivier Merlin and Dominique Lafon under the Château des Quarts label. Since Pouilly Fuissé was granted Premier Cru status, Clos des Quarts has emerged as one of the appellation’s benchmark sites, producing Chardonnay with extraordinary concentration, mineral drive and ageing potential. The vineyard’s limestone rich soils, old vines and elevated position create a wine that comfortably competes with far more expensive white Burgundy from the Côte d’Or.

The 2023 vintage is stunningly precise and layered. Aromas of ripe citrus, white peach and pear unfold alongside acacia blossom, toasted hazelnut and delicate struck flint notes. There is impressive power here, though everything feels tightly coiled and beautifully controlled rather than broad or heavy. The palate moves seamlessly between creamy texture and chalky tension, with subtle oak and extended lees ageing adding depth, savoury complexity and fine detail. As the wine opens, notes of oyster shell, lemon curd and crushed stone emerge through an exceptionally long and saline finish.

This deserves serious food and a little patience in the glass. Butter poached lobster, roast turbot with beurre blanc or handmade pasta with scallops and brown butter would all be magnificent. It would also shine beside roast chicken with truffle or a perfectly aged comté enjoyed slowly over the course of an evening. There is a quiet confidence and precision to this wine that feels unmistakably world class, offering both immediate pleasure and the structure to evolve beautifully for more than a decade.