Burgundy’s Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation that is dedicated solely to the production of Chardonnay. Just under an hour south of Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet, this AOC is nestled within Burgundy’s Mâcconais subregion. Although Pouilly-Fuissé does not possess a Premier or Grand Cru, the charmed appellation boasts superb lieux-dits, or named vineyards, that deliver wines derived from ideal soils, elevation and aspect for a fraction of the Côte de Beaune equivalents’ prices. Case in point is this example from Château des Rontets’ ‘Les Birbettes.’ The crown jewel of the Clos, or walled vineyards, Les Birbettes boasts the oldest vines inside the ancient wall at an elevation of over 1100 feet, making this celebrated parcel one of the highest in the entire Mâcon. The old vines were predominantly planted in the 1920s following the phylloxera outbreak and the remainder were planted just following World War II. In fact, an old local saying goes, “The dames of the inns have adopted three ways to depict old age: at fifty five, it's a birbon; at sixty, it's a birbe; after this fatal term, it's a birbette.  Derived from the oldest and most celebrated vineyard within the Clos and arguably the Mâcon, this 2013 Château des Rontets Pouilly-Fuissé, ‘Les Birbettes’ delivers incredibly concentrated fruit, precise minerality and graceful balance that harkens back to Grand Cru examples from the Côte de Beaune at a fraction of the price.

Château des Rontets itself has weathered many a vintage as well. The estate endured a turbulent time during the Revolution and was confiscated. In 1848, Château des Rontets was sold to a wine merchant who built the current Château. After changing hands a couple of times, the estate finally landed in the hands of Monsieur Varambon by the 1850s. His family has remained the loving stewards since then. Today, François Varambon's great-granddaughter, Claire, and her husband, Fabio, are at the helm of the business. The old vines, derived from limestone soils, have been farmed organically since 2005. Following manual harvest, the fruit is fermented in 228 and 400-liter French oak barrels that are only 10-15% new, which allows for the purity of terroir to shine. The wine is racked into larger, older barrels then aged on its lees for ten months. Following the aging process, the wine is racked again then bottled without fining or filtration. Claire and Fabio’s organic farming and traditional winemaking approach reveals a wine of concentration and elegance that can easily age between ten to fifteen years with proper storage.

This 2013 Les Birbettes displays a concentrated straw yellow center moving to slight gold and green reflections on the rim. Once the wine breathes in enough air, the aromatics are stunning. Mineral-driven notes of white peach skin, acacia flowers, dried lemon, honeysuckle, seashells and chalk are poised with intense energy. The palate, just over medium body, offers simultaneously rich, tense, and mineral notes that drive endless layers of flavor through your brain; the complexity is almost difficult to process.  Flavors of bosc pear, white peach, lime blossoms and limestone drive a finish that seems to go on for minutes. This wine is serious; for the price, it pretty much blows everything else away. Although it will reveal a touch of sulfur when it is opened, this is normal and the aroma will blow off within a few minutes. I have found that decanting these young whites for about twenty minutes is the best approach. However, I would advise decanting this example for closer to an hour since it really benefits from air. Then, serve at roughly 55-60 degrees in a Burgundy stem. If this wine is too cold, the stunning aromatics will be subdued and the wine’s acidity and minerality will dominate. Remember, the refrigerator is close to 40 degrees; so the wine will be very shy for 20-30 minutes until it reaches the ideal temperature. Serve this wine with Antoine Westermann’s garlic chicken and enjoy.