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 a little 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.
The 2022 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes was picked in three "tries"—that's to say, successive passages through the vineyard selecting only the ripest fruit. Revealing aromas of pear, toasted nuts, citrus zest, white flowers, beeswax and nutmeg, it's medium to full-bodied, with a satiny attack that segues into an elegantly fleshy palate built around racy acids and concluding with a long, saline finish. Drink 2025-2040.
