The 2003 Chateau-Fuisse Vieilles Vignes, Antoine Vincent's first vintage, has a slightly smudged, waxy, quite earthy bouquet. The palate is nicely balanced but to be frank, I think this does not come close to the 2008, 2010 or 2011 tasted alongside, as if the breeding of the terroir has been denuded by the intense heat of the season. Drink now.
I last visited Chateau de Fuisse in the late 1990s when my former employers were agents for Chateau de Fuisse in Japan. I vividly recall the exceptional quality of one of the most esteemed producers in Pouilly-Fuisse and I have endeavored to keep track of recent vintages ever since. The estate is steeped in history, though when the original Chateau was built in the 15th century, they found the water table too high for a proper cellar, which is why there are not typical vaulted brick arches beneath the main building. The Vincent family has presided over the estate for decades and it was Antoine, who joined the domaine in 2003, who escorted me around the vineyard (see video) and through a selection of wines. If you really want to taste what Pouilly-Fuisse is capable of then look no further than this address. We commenced with a look at their 2011s. Antoine explained that the vintage produced wines that were lower in alcohol (0.5 degrees less than 2010), lower in sugar but also lower in acidity, so that everything was kept in equilibrium.
Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700 and OW Loeb (UK).
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