Tasting and subsequently offering Olivier Giroux’s “Clos des Rocs” earlier this year was an absolute treat for all of us here, and based on your responses, it was for you, too! Since then, we’ve been tapping the importer’s shoulder, asking them to alert us should anything new arrive. It finally has!
“Les Mûres” borders the Clos des Rocs vineyard and is widely considered the finest terroir in all of Pouilly-Loché, so instead of viewing this as an alternative, think of it as an upgrade—for the same price! I feel inclined to remind you: This isn’t merely an affordable alternative to better-known white Burgundies, but a wine that transcends appellation and belongs in the top tier of Burgundy, period. Domaine du Clos des Rocs small-production wines sing with purity and their rarity makes them that much more desirable, especially given their modest price tags. Les Mûres is a must for any collector and also a perfect complement to Giroux’s delicious Clos des Rocs monopole. These wines only arrive once in a blue moon and you’d be very hard-pressed to find them on a store shelf, so take advantage: we can offer up to a case per customer today!
Farmer-winemaker-owner Olivier Giroux does not share the work habits of some of his more well-heeled neighbors in Burgundy. He says, “It is just me here—I’m a peasant. I tend the vineyards. I make the wine. I take care of the marketing.” Olivier’s work ethic and dogged self-reliance results in single vineyard wines of stunning purity and character while the absence of payroll or subcontracting at his small property means prices remain refreshingly low. Across the board, his wines are full of terroir and recall Burgundy’s golden era in the the 1960s and 1970s.
Olivier Giroux developed an early interest in winegrowing in southern Burgundy’s Mâconnais region. Following university-level wine education and a decade spent honing his skills with large producers in the Rhône Valley, Olivier longed to return home to realize his dream of bottling white Burgundy. He believed the soft, rolling hills of his youth still remained more focused on soil and farming versus what he perceived as the Rhône’s preoccupation with technology and stylistic cellar decisions. Fortunately for all of us, the obscurity of the Pouilly-Loché appellation meant that with Olivier’s purchase of Domaine du Clos des Rocs in the mid-2000s, he acquired an impressively diverse 15-acre collection for the price of what even a few rows in one of Burgundy’s more prestigious vineyards might cost. Olivier immediately set to transition all farming on the property to organics while renovating the cellar to prioritize cleanliness and efficiency over faddish technology.
Abutting the southeastern side of Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché is a microscopic appellation (79 acres under production compared to its neighbor’s 1,900) that is quietly emerging as one of my favorite areas in the Mâconnais. Olivier’s 40-year-old, organically farmed vines in the
lieu-dit of “
Les Mûres” are planted in limestone soils and harvested by hand. Sorting is carefully carried out in both the vineyard and winery and the Chardonnay ages in 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral barrel for approximately 12 months.
In the glass, Olivier’s 2014 “Les Mûres” shines a brilliant straw-yellow core with deep yellow and bright green reflections leading out to the rim. The nose offers refreshingly soft aromatics of citrus blossom, Anjou pear, crushed oyster shell, lemon meringue, candied lime, yellow apple skin, acacia, fresh white flowers, honeysuckle, and wet stone. The palate is wonderfully textured with a nice balance of citrus and creamy tree fruits. It’s a lively, yet rounded wine with perfect tension and the layered finish introduces a slight hint of nuttiness. “Les Mûres” is a nuanced and classically styled wine that will continue evolving over the next 5-8 years, though nothing should stop you from enjoying this now after a 30 minute decant. Consume around 55-60 degrees in Burgundy stems and treat yourself with a fresh preparation of seafood pasta. It takes under an hour, showcases a mixed bag of shellfish, and is accentuated by a creamy sauce; you’ll love it!
