Domaine Merlin : Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2020

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2020 from Domaine Merlin

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a pale yellow to golden hue with subtle green highlights, typical of a cool-climate Chardonnay raised with great care.

Nose

The nose reveals lovely aromatic complexity, with floral notes of hawthorn and linden. Buttery and smoky aromas gradually unfold, accompanied by a distinctive minerality evoking flint and chalk.

Palate

On the palate, the wine opens with a pronounced tension that gives way to a generous mid-palate. White fruits express themselves with intensity—especially pear and white peach—alongside notes of hazelnut and almond. The minerality translates into a marked salinity that brings depth. Bright, fresh acidity gives the whole structure and vibrancy. The finish stands out for its remarkable length and its smoky, buttery nuances that add refinement and sophistication. The balance between ripe fruit, mineral tension and barrel aging is impeccable.

Food and wine pairings

This Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2020 pairs beautifully with fish in a creamy sauce, premium seafood such as lobster or langoustines, as well as foie gras. It also matches very well with white meats in a cream sauce, notably poultry and veal. Aged goat cheeses make an outstanding pairing. This wine can also be served as an aperitif or with refined Asian cuisine featuring delicate flavors.

Serving and cellaring

The Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2020 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 11 and 13°C. This wine can be enjoyed through around 2030.

A mineral and elegant Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Cru from Domaine Merlin

The estate

Founded on January 1, 1987 by Olivier and Corinne Merlin, Domaine Merlin now spans 22 hectares in the Mâconnais, in Burgundy. Based in La Roche-Vineuse at the foot of the Roches Mâconnaises, the estate was born from the takeover of the former Vieux Saint-Sorlin estate, which originally covered 4.5 hectares. Olivier Merlin, who discovered his passion for viticulture during the 1977 harvest, developed a philosophy centered on balance, purity, depth and harmony. Today, the new generation—represented by Paul and Théo Merlin—is actively involved in managing the estate, ensuring continuity of the family values. The estate is renowned for its Mâconnais and Beaujolais wines, which express their respective terroirs with great finesse.

The vineyard

The Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" comes from a plot located at around 250 meters above sea level on a west-facing hillside in the Chaintré area. The soils are made up of brown-red clay-limestone rich in oxidized iron, giving the wine its distinctive mineral signature. This Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard is farmed using an approach close to organic viticulture, with no herbicides and very limited chemical interventions. The soil is worked intensively, including horse plowing and manual hoeing around each vine to encourage deep rooting and biodiversity. Planting density reaches around 10,000 vines per hectare. Harvesting is done by hand in small crates to preserve the integrity of the grapes. Yields are kept under control at around 40 hectoliters per hectare.

The vintage

The 2020 vintage in Burgundy was marked by early budbreak following a mild winter without frost. Spring and summer were characterized by significant heat and persistent drought, creating water stress on the vines. Fortunately, relatively cool nights helped preserve the grapes’ natural acidity. Harvest began on August 23 for Chardonnay, around three weeks earlier than usual. Despite lower volumes, grape concentration was excellent, with a fine balance between ripeness and freshness. The 2020 vintage is particularly successful for Burgundy white wines and also represents the first vintage of the Premier Cru classification for Pouilly-Fuissé.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for the Pouilly-Fuissé 1er cru "Les Chevrières" 2020 are pressed as whole clusters to preserve the purity of the juice. After light settling in an inert tank, alcoholic fermentation takes place in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts. The wine is kept on fine lees throughout fermentation. Aging then continues for 18 months in oak barrels, allowing the wine to develop complexity while preserving its freshness and its expression of terroir. The measured use of new oak avoids masking the wine’s intrinsic character and the definition of the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay