2022 Domaine Rijckaert Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Sur La Roche

Jean Rijckaert started making wine in 1990 in the Mâconnais region, where he had settled, as co-founder of the Verget wine merchants in Sologny. In 1998, when creating Domaine Rijckaert, Jean purchased 4 hectares of vineyards in Maconnais (mainly in the Viré-Clessé area) and, as a lover of the Jura region and convinced of the area's wine-growing potential, 5 hectares in Arbois. A visionary. Each region has its own wine cellar, so you can work as close to the vines as possible. Mâconnais wine is made in Davayé. And in the Jura it is made in Villette-Les-Arbois, a wine village near the wine capital of the Jura.

At Domaine Rijckaert they promote biodiversity in the vineyards, where chemicals are never used. By minimal tillage they improve erosion on the steepest vineyards and it helps the vines to take root in the deepest parts of the soil: This improves the water balance in the plant and in the grapes and provides the plant with mineral nutrition and brings the specific properties of the soil. It also preserves the biodiversity of the macroflora, as well as the microflora. This is crucial for the wines as the fermentation is “spontaneous”. That is, it comes mainly from the microorganisms that naturally occur in the grapes.

Rijckaert Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Sur La Roche is an excellent wine that reflects the unique terroir of Pouilly-Fuissé. With its rich, complex character and excellent balance, it is a wine that can be enjoyed now and will develop beautifully with further maturation. The wine comes from the prestigious Pouilly-Fuissé appellation, specifically from the Premier Cru vineyard 'Sur La Roche'. The vineyard has a limestone and clay-rich soil, which contributes to the complexity and minerality of the wine. The Chardonnay grapes come from old vines (vieilles vignes), which usually leads to lower yields but higher concentration and depth in the wines.

The Rijckaert Vieilles Vignes Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Sur La Roche is bright golden yellow in the glass with green tones. The wine has an Intense and complex nose with aromas of ripe yellow fruits such as peach and apricot, combined with mineral notes and subtle hints of white flowers and almonds. Full and rich on the palate with an excellent balance between fruity intensity and refreshing acidity. The palate offers layers of ripe fruit, mineral accents and a long, elegant aftertaste.