Chardonnay comes in many different styles. As a grape, it’s more of a blank canvas to paint on, and winemakers have a lot to do with what kind of wine ends in your glass.
But when it comes to Chardonnay from France, terroir rules the day. That’s why you will seldom see Chardonnay word on the label. It all comes down to terroir, and the name reflects the location when grapes come from rather than winemaker who made it.
2016 J.J. Vincent Pouilly-Fuisse Marie Antoinette comes from Pouilly-Fuisse – one of the best places in France and in the world for Chardonnay. And if you wonder, Pouilly-Fuisse is in Burgundy.
The quality of the wine from this region can range from the basic to very complex that can age for decades.
Château Fuissé
Like many wineries of France, Château Fuissé has deep roots. Since the acquisition of the Château and Domaine in 1862, the five generations of Vincent family is building on the family’s savoir-faire gained over three centuries. Each generation added land and modern winemaking techniques to further the reputation of the worldwide renown wines of Château de Fuissé.
Château’s vineyards, located in southern Burgundy, spanning five appellations, including 62 acres in Pouilly-Fuissé 62 where Marie Antoinette grapes come from.
2016 J.J. Vincent Pouilly-Fuisse Marie Antoinette Tasting Notes
The 2016 season had challenging weather in the spring and early summer. Still, the better weather from July through October saved the vintage, and some wines can challenge the best examples of 2015.
Some specialists suggested holding 2016 Burgundies for a few years to help them mature. We haven’t tasted this wine right after the release, but what we got in the glass led us to believe that 2020 was an excellent year to pop the cork of Marie Antoinette.
Aromas
White blossom and hay, apple and lemon, sweet cream, fresh-cut grass, and minerality.
Flavors
It’s a medium body wine with sensible acidity with flavors of lemon, apple, yellow plum, and wet stone.
Finish
It’s a sophisticated wine that needs some time to open. It shows up beautifully with peach and vanilla aftertaste.
Food Pairing
We paired it with shrimp pasta. As anticipated, lemon and apple character married well with shrimp flavors. The acidity and creaminess in wine helped complemented and counterbalanced the heavy cream and butter. Minerality and flintiness Pouilly-Fuisse played well together with the smokey touch of Scarmorza.
Have you tasted Pouilly-Fuisse yet? What are your thoughts when you compare it with California Chard?
