In the village of Pouilly, in the middle of the Pouilly-Fuissé AOC lies Domaine du Roc des Boutires. The winery’s name draws on both terroir and tradition: its proximity with the Roche de Solutré, an emblem of the appellation and a testament to the extraordinary geologic richness of this vineyard; as well as the domaine’s settlement in the very heart of one of the best terroirs of the appellation —“Aux Bouthières.” In the ancient French vocabulary, a “boutière” was a secondary road that mule skinners used for the transportation of oils and wines in remote parts of the country. The vineyard of Domaine du Roc des Boutires is only 5 kilometers (3.12 miles) west of the ancient Roman track of Via Agrippa, on a very small road which now leads to the village of Solutré, the hills of the Mâconnais and the plains of the Charolais.

Clay and limestone soils. The ‘vielles vignes’ of Chardonnay, located at the southern end of Burgundy, are planted between 250 and 500 meters in altitude, higher than the other AOC from Bourgogne. Thus, they provide both maturity and freshness to the wines.

Selection of terroirs; 1.3 hectares (3.2 acres):

1) ‘A La Roue’: deep clay soils (no-limestone), from residual clay “with chailles”

2) ‘Barvay’: shallow soils, derived from limestones “with chailles”

3) ‘Aux Combes’: fine soils of clay and limestones

4) ‘En Bertilionne’: brown/yellow soils derived from marl limestones

The 2019 vintage was the sunniest since 1990. An exceptionally sunny February encouraged early vegetation, but early cold Spring nights were a challenge. On April 4th, a frost close to -4 C (25 F) affected nearly 40% of the vineyard. As flowering and fruit development began, the berries were small, due to the lack of rain until the end of July. August had lower temperatures than normal with an excess of rain. However, the Chardonnay grapes remained lower in weight than in the past 13 years, with yields down 35%. As a result, the vintage started a little later. In all, the wines are very aromatic and fine, with a great freshness.

The berries are driven to the press by gravity, and immediately pressed, whole bunch. Once the press is complete, the juices are cooled down to 46.4° F (8°C) for 2 days on average in order to make the particles fall in the tank. The cold soak preserves the best quality and primary aromas. Malolactic fermentation happens naturally. Bâtonnage is scarce, while barrels and tanks are used depending on the profile of the vintage.

A bright, vibrant color with hints of yellow and gold. Aromas of peach and honey fill the nose. The wine’s acidity is well balanced with citrus notes of lime and orange peel adding layers of flavor.