Domaine Thilbert Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuisse 2010

Domaine Thilbert Pere et Fils  now run by Christophe Thibert and his wife Christine along with his sister Sandrine, they own a 60 acre estate in 'the Fuisse' in the heart of the Pouilly-Fuisse appellation in the Mâconnais. The Mâcon region is in Burgundy and offers good value and often high quality white wine. The Thiberts  vineyards are now mainly organic, the fruit is picked by hand (not a universal practice in this region) and use low yields, new oak and minimium filtration producing wines that are intense, pure and long.
The Domaine Thilbert Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuisse 2010 is one such wine produced from the 16 hectares they own in Pouilly-Fuisse, an appellation making 95% white wine from Chardonnay with the remaining 5% making red wine from Gamay.

This wine has a lovely pale gold colour and aromas of limes and apricots and a hint of spice, this indiactes some oak usage and maybe malolcatic fermentation. On tasting it there is noticeable acidity balanced by the alcohol and a silky texture. The green appley/lime flavours have a cheesey aftertaste which then gives way to red apple finish and the crisp apple adding padding to the body of the wine. It has a freshening mouth feel and is richer and fatter than a Chablis wine - less linear and not a elegant but complex. A great quality wine with alot to offer.

Fourchaume Chablis Premier cru 2009 La Chablisienne

Fourchaume is one of 12  Premier cru's in Chablis an appellation within the Burgundy region, and it is situated to the north of Chablis town,  in 2009 a highly recommended coop La Chablisienne made a Chablis that we tasted recently and were wowed by its minerality and complexity.
Initially the lemon fruits aromas were fresh and clean but veiled slightly as they opened to exhibit green crunchier fruits - we felt it had much to give. On tasting it the green fruits, steely minerality and spice were complex with concentrated elegant acidity balanced by the alcohol which added structure and support to the full bodied silky wine. The length was long and rounded, the style less austere than many I have tasted - and steely and clean throughout.
This wine could age for another 8-10 years gaining much on the way - enjoy!This wine was good value at £16.74 from Roberson wine.

Chablis Domaine William Fevre 2010

 Domaine William Fevre produced a Chablis in 2010 that is perfumed with a stoney edge to the green apple aromas which also carry a tinge of lime in the back ground. On tasting it the acidity is freshening, the wine has a silky texture and real prescence! It has minerality layered with green crunchy fruits and some white stone fruits rounding out the flavours and adding flesh to what some think is an austere style of wine. The length is good and shows the quality of the wine with the layered minerality and ending in peach. Overall the style is linear, crisp and clean and shows elegance through to the end.
2010  wines were concentrated due to poor fruit set earlier in the season, so leading to a smaller harvest, minerality and keen acidity are key for this vintage. This wine may have seen a small amount of new oak in its making and this would have been much higher before 1998 when William Fevre sold to Champagne Henriot. The fruit was hand harvest with rigorous selection under the watchful eye of the winemaker Didier Séguier .
The  wine was £14.95 and came from The Wine Society.

Simonnet – Febver Sauvignon de Saint Bris 2010

Sauvignon de Saint Bris 2010 Simonnet – Febver Burgundy France

When one thinks of Burgundy white wine, the grape that springs to mind is Chardonnay with maybe Aligote coming into play as a secondary option, but this wine comes from a special appellation in Chablis, Burgundy, the winery was started in 1840 by Jean Febvre and is the only place that can grow Sauvignon grapes in the whole of Burgundy with the Loire only 30 miles away. It is bottled in a Burgundy shaped bottle ( as are most New and Old World Sauvignons). The grapes come from vineyards which average 25 years age and are on clay and limestone soils as would be expected in this location Burgundy/Loire.

It is pale lemon, clear and sparkling, with high notes of nettle, grass, green apple and pea shoots. It is dry, crisp and fresh with a silky texture. The finish is green apple with a citric twist and has a little florality wandering through it. The acidity is as expected – keeping the expected fruit expression fresh and the alcohol is well integrated (12.5%). There is no minerality on nose or palate, but the wine is a typical French Sauvignon, pure green fruits which are robustly expressive. At under £10, this feels like a gentle aperitif – enjoy!