| Country: | France |
| Regions: | Burgundy Maconnais |
| Winery: | Saumaize-Michelin |
| Grape Type: | Chardonnay |
| Organic: | Yes |
| Vintage: | 2015 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly Fusse Premier Cru La Marechaude is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A beautiful Pouilly-Fuisse from "La Marechaude" parcel that Saumaize-Michelin acquired in 2013. Planted on clay and limestone slopes and hand harvested, this Chardonnay offers fresh and elegant notes of white flowers, crisp, citrus and exotic fruits. Powerful and mineral on the palate with a fantastic balance, finesse and freshness. The exceptional terroir brings minerality and juicy flavors of stone fruits, peach and melon supported by subtle toasty notes.
It is now a Premier Cru.
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy 94 Points
Saumaize Michelin Macon Vergisson Sur Roche is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Harmonious, fresh and clean aromas of fresh apple, lemon, orange blossom, white flower. Pure, crisp, silky and fine texture. Ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
Saumaize Michelin St Veran Les Creches is 100 percent Chardonnay
The vines for Les Creches are situated in Davayé and planted on limestone based soils with a good amount of soft chalk. It is a blend from grapes from two different parcels; one 40 years old and the other over 60 years. The older vine brings subtlety and depth, and the younger vine bring minerality and freshness.
Elegant and fruity nose supported by a good minerality. Round, rich, fresh and well balanced. Luscious honey and citrus flavors with hints of butter and a delicious citrus finish.
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly Fuisse Marechaude is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A beautiful Pouilly-Fuisse from "La Marechaude" parcel that Saumaize-Michelin acquired in 2013. Planted on clay and limestone slopes and hand harvested, this Chardonnay offers fresh and elegant notes of white flowers, crisp, citrus and exotic fruits. Powerful and mineral on the palate with a fantastic balance, finesse and freshness. The exceptional terroir brings minerality and juicy flavors of stone fruits, peach and melon supported by subtle toasty notes.
It is now a Premier Cru.
Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Premier Cru Vers Cras is made from 100 percent Chardonnay
2006 marked the purchase of part of the original sharecropping of the vines, including “Les Crays”, half of which had previously been returned to the owner.
This vintage is made up of two small plots, one 50 years old, the other 30 years old, covering 24 ares. Density: 9,000 vines per hectare
Located on the southern slope of the Vergisson rock which climbs very quickly: 320M at the bottom and 390M in altitude at the top, its situation is very sunny with a lot of wind. A blue marl soil covered by the scree of the Vergisson rock, we find some iron oxide.
Hand-picked, crushed, pneumatically pressed, full fermentation in Burgundy French oak barrels (15% new). Aged for one year on fine lees. Bottled according to the lunar calendar by us, without filtration.
Nose with aromas of ripe fruit, with mineral notes. Generous palate with beautiful body. Finish with tension and salivation. Discreet in the first year, its minerality is very fine but with a lot of depth.
It is best enjoyed at 12°C with all meats in white sauce, Burgundy snails, fine fish and even certain strong cheeses.
Saumaize-Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse “Clos sur la Roche” is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Produced from the oldest parcel of the estate dating back from 1979 and planted on the slopes of the Vergisson Rock, "Clos sur la Roche" benefits from a south sun exposure. This beautiful Chardonnay offers abundant floral and white fruit aromas, toasty and buttery notes and brioche scents. Well-balanced and concentrated on the palate with a rich structure and refreshing notes of zesty lemon and mineral purity that brings a vibrant energy to the finish.
Complex aromas of soft citrus fruits and minerals. Densely packed and fresh, with intense, complex flavors of white fruit as well as a hint of spice. The finish is very firm, long but not dry.
This site is now a Premier Cru!
Powerful and warm wine offering quince and sweet fruit aromas. Thick and toasty. Rich and well textured.
The vines are 40-45 years old of age on average. All of the wines are 100% barrel fermented and 100% M-L fermentation
Review:"Bright yellow. Knockout aromas of peach, apricot and crushed lime leaf are complicated by solaire notes of marzipan and honeycomb. Then very ripe and sweet on the palate but with an element of warmth (these 2015s are in the 14% alcohol range) shaving the topnotes off the wine's flavors. Finishes slightly bitter-edged and tannic, suggesting harder grape skins. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2017), 90 pts
The Domaine Saumaize-Michelin Estate
This family estate is owned by Roger and Christine Saumaize-Michelin and is located in the Village of Vergisson, the best of the five villages for Pouilly-Fuisse. The estate built new cellars in 1991 and uses 10 - 25% new oak per vintage.
"Roger Saumaize, meticulous vineyardist and skilled winemaker, makes Macon whites, including four different Pouilly-Fuisses; dense and rich for the region, they behave more like great Cote de Beaunes." - Anthony Dias Blue's pocket guide to wine 2006
The Domaine Saumaize-Michelin Vineyards
This 9 hectare estate is planted to 8.5 hectares of Chardonnay and half an hectare of Gamay for Macon Rouge. The vines are 40-45 years old of age on average. All of the wines are 100% barrel fermented and 100% M-L fermentation. Roger Saumaize makes about 3,800 cases of wine per year under three different appellations: Mâcon-Villages, St Véran and Pouilly-Fuisse.
Nickel & Nickel Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The 2023 Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay opens with enticing aromatics of tropical fruit, tangerine, and a hint of honeysuckle. On the palate, it presents a bright and vibrant profile, with a natural lift from its fresh fruit flavors and lively acidity. The tropical and citrus notes are complemented by a subtle brioche character, while the oak imparts a pleasant roundness, bringing balance and weight to the wine.
Review:
The freshness and pure fruit flavors of this generous wine ring clear as a bell. Crisp green apples, Bosc pears and subtle oak spices like vanilla bean and toasted almonds fill the palate. While medium-bodied, it feels full and generous and has a lingering finish. Drink now or hold.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Winemaker Joe Harden ages his Truchard Vineyard Chardonnay for 10 months in 30% new French oak, with minimal stirring and no malolactic fermentation, allowing for a slightly more pronounced oak presence. Truchard, one of Carneros' most esteemed sites, is characterised by rolling hills with ideal sun exposure and cooling breezes. Harden sources fruit from eight distinct blocks across the vineyard’s expansive 109 hectares, with harvests spanning roughly a month. Among the selections is Clone 809, a Muscat clone that adds floral aromatics and a touch of baking spice. The Truchard Chardonnay exhibits a silky texture on the palate, layered with citrus peel and tropical hints of apricot and peach. A rich spine of acidity is further heightened by vivid mineral tension, creating a wine that is both racy and rich. Elegantly balanced, it’s a delightful sipper with impressive depth and vibrancy.
-Decanter 94 Points
Jonive Chardonnay Russian River Valley is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Jonive’s Moon Dust Vineyard is planted to a range of clones, imparting unique characteristics and quality to the wines. 100% estate-owned vineyard planted in 1998 and 2007. Goldridge (Moon Dust) soil over clay loam. Eastern/Southern Exposure.
The wine has a typical light straw color and complex aromas of lemongrass, nutmeg, Meyer lemon, fresh oregano, and a touch of passionfruit. This Chardonnay has an enveloping mouthfeel that is at once crisp and linear as well as rich and expansive, a very unusual and beguiling combination of textures and mouthfeel. The browning of clone 17 enables the wine to be rich, but at a lower alcohol, and clone 95 contributes beautifully fresh acidity. The palate shows jasmine, honeydew melon, tarragon, lime, and lemongrass with a nice kiss of high-quality French oak. The extended lees contact gives the wine amazing length, energy, and vitality.
353 cases produced
14-month barrel aging in 67% new French oak barrels, 20% once used and 13% neutral
61% clone 17/Robert Young and 39% clone 95
13.3% alcohol
Reviews:
"This unfiltered Chardonnay explodes from the glass with brilliant aromas of fresh lime peel, orange blossom, chalk and green pear. The palate displays all of that aciddriven freshness, with flavors of juicy tangerine and flowers leading to a finish with echoes of salty lime zest."
— Tom R. Capo, 2025 Wine Enthusiast 95 Points