Chateau-Fuisse St-Veran is a green-golden colour, brilliant and clean. A fresh and flattering nose with hints of vanilla, lime citrus, apples and a suggestion of slightly more exotic fruits. Round and refreshing in the mouth, fruity, crisp and ripe with nice minerality and a good structure at the finish. Fresh, fruity and balanced, with a delicate toasty smokiness derived from its time resting on its lees.
- Country: France
- Region: Burgundy
- Subregion: Mâconnais, Saint-Véran
- Vintage: 2018
- Colour: White
- Grape Variety: Chardonnay
- ABV: 13%
- Bottle Size: 75cl
- Closure: Natural cork
- Style: A pretty, unoaked white Burgundy
- Vegetarian: Yes (not certified)
- Vegan: Yes (not certified)
- Drink With: Chicken, pork or fish
St-Veran has been recognised as a Cru du Mâconnais since 1971 and it is divided between several villages in southern Burgundy. Château-Fuissé's Saint-Véran comes, in part, from the north of the appellation in the village of Davayé. Grapes are also sourced from vineyards in the southern part of the region around Chasselas. This Saint-Véran is complex and well structured thanks to the complementary nature of these two terroirs: the southern grapes bring minerality and elegance and their northern counterparts supply the power and the richness.
The soils are calcareous clay and the vines are approximately 20 years old. This Château-Fuissé Saint-Véran is vinified in stainless steel vats to preserve the purity of fruit, floral notes and minerality. Batonnage is practised to promote autolysis and to enhance the weight and richness of the wine. Each parcel of fruit is vinified separately and the final blend is assembled by the winemaker after numerous tastings. Once blended, the wine remains in stainless steel tanks until it is bottled.
About the grower
The Château-Fuissé has a rich history, with parts of the main house dating back to the 15th century. The estate has been in the hands of the Vincent family since 1862, and fifth generation winemaker Antoine Vincent is now at the helm. He is very ably assisted by his sister Benedicte and by his father, Jean-Jacques Vincent, who still keeps a watchful eye over him.
Today, Château-Fuissé comprises of 33 hectares of vineyards, 23 of which are in Pouilly-Fuissé and which are spread across 104 different plots. Having this diverse selection of terroirs to draw upon enables the Vincents to craft wines of far greater complexity than many other producers. The temperate climate and the limestone and clay soils of the Mâconnais are ideally suited to Chardonnay, allowing it to express a lovely balance of ripeness, concentration and minerality. The best of traditional and modern winemaking practices are allied with a judicious use of oak barrels to produce textbook white Burgundy that speaks loudest of its terroir not its winemaker. These are wines that deserve their place in any cellar.
Since 1985, the Vincent family has offered an additional, eponymous range of wines, utilising carefully selected fruit from vineyards largely owned by other members of the family rather than by the Château-Fuissé estate. Needless to say, they are all vinified with the same passion and expertise and they supply plenty of bang for the buck.