MCF Rare Wine
Pouillon - One of Champagne's Great Gems
While many areas of life may not feel very 'golden' these days, we're truly living in the Golden Age of Champagne.
There are so many wonderful grower producers making such great wine these days that it's a lot to handle sometimes, but, fear not...too much of a good thing like Champagne is, for me, a really good thing.
I have many long-time favorites in this ‘grower’ category, most of which you’ve read about in this newsletter multiple times, but over the last few years, the wines of Roger Pouillon have been steadily climbing my ladder of affinity.
I was tasting through some of them the other day with Dan Weber, one of the partners of Schatzi, which imports Pouillon’s wines, and we were chatting about how good the wines have always been, but also how they’ve been getting better and better with each release.
He then proceeded to pour me the latest release of Pouillon’s Brut Reserve (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier - 50% 2017, 35% 2016, 15% Reserve) and it was as if someone had put all that verbiage about 'Pouillon getting better and better' and bottled it...because, that's exactly what it is...the embodiment of Pouillon's ever-increasing quality.
Anyway, this latest Brut Reserve was fantastic - everything I love about Pouillon’s general style, but honed to near perfection within the sub-$60/btl context.
It was rich, lively, savory, nutty and wonderfully balanced.
We both kind of paused in contemplation for a moment and then Dan said ‘I might be biased, but I think he’s making some of the best wine in Champagne right now...’
’I was just gonna say the same thing...’ was my response.
(And that level of ‘quiet reflection’ was brought on by just the basic Brut...)
Things really get interesting when you get into what I think are his top wines...
....and I’m about to get into them.
I’ve always considered his Blanc de Blancs Les Valnons and Brut Nature Les Blanchiens to be the best examples of Pouillon’s handiwork. Today, I think I can add his Blanc de Noirs Le Montgruguet to that Super Duo, I suppose thereby making it the a Power Trio.
The Brut Nature Grand Cru Valnons, 100% Chardonnay from Aÿ, and the Brut Nature 1er Cru Blanchiens, a 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Mareuil, are both from the stellar, chiseled, focused and racy 2013 vintage. It's my favorite vintage since 2008 and, if you ask certain people, it might be the last of its kind in the region. While I’m not sure about that, I am sure about the fact that these two stunning 2013s from Pouillon are knock outs.
The Valnons comes from a Grand Cru site of the same name in Aÿ that’s actually famous for its Pinot Noir. This gorgeous 2013 is aromatic, mineral and full of vigor, but there’s good richness to it, as well. The more subtle oxidative elements locked inside the racy backbone round things out nicely, while offering glimpses of future development.
The Blanchiens shows more texture and a bit more weight, with the gorgeous berry fruit bringing the Pinot firmly into view. Again, the taut, bracing structure so characteristic of 2013 holds this wine firmly upright, while keeping the fine details clearly apparent.
Finally, there’s the ‘new addition’ to the trio, the Montgruguet 2016, a fabulous Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs made of 100% Pinot Noir hailing from the top of the Montgruguet hill, just above the famed Clos de Goisses plot. This 2016 is its debut bottling, but I think all it will take is a sip or two for you to be just as excited as I am about what we’ll see from this plot going forward.
The softer nature of the Pinot Noir, combined with Pouillon’s signature sense of savory clarity and the more delicate energy of the 2016 vintage come together beautifully, offering a wine of both incredible depth and precision that also happens to be as friendly and engaging as Champagne gets.
The ‘Golden Age of Champagne’ is indeed alive, well and growing, and the wines of Pouillon are, for me, among the true jewels in that golden crown.
Here’s to Spring and rebirth...
...and future Golden Ages...
...and Champagne.
You may order by emailing info@mcf-rarewine.com or calling 212.255.8870.
Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street NYC 10011
212.255.8870
