Château des Rontets - Pouilly-Fuissé Clos Varambon 2023

The Clos Varambon offers finesse and aromatic complexity: with its great intensity and lingering finish, this ripe, fresh, and velvety wine checks all the boxes.

Claire and Fabio Gazeau-Montrasi took over this historic family estate in 1995. Certified organic since 2005, it consists mainly of Chardonnay vineyards in Fuissé and a plot in Saint-Amour. All of the estate’s white wines undergo extended aging—nearly two years—which naturally refines and enriches them, resulting in greater complexity. The exposure and altitude have prevented the Pouilly-Fuissé wines from being classified as Premier Cru, though the discerning connoisseur will not be bothered by this. The quality and consistency of the latest vintages presented this year have earned the estate its second star.
The wines: a smooth, very flavorful body in the Saint-Amour, a sensual and crisp wine with beautiful intensity of fresh fruit. Finesse and aromatic complexity in the Clos Varambon: with its great intensity and lingering finish, this ripe, fresh, and caressing wine checks all the boxes. With a completely natural expression, Pierrefolle offers a character sharpened by its granite terroir. This savory and vibrant wine delivers radiant flavors and a very subtle finish. Les Birbettes adds an extra layer of refinement, with magnificent breadth that lingers long on the palate and unfolds with penetrating intensity on the finish, all with a wonderfully natural expression.

The 2022 Pouilly-Fuissé Clos Varambon comes from vines planted in 2011 around the estate and from plots of vines ranging from 40 to 60 years old. Its bouquet is delightful: yellow plum, mirabelle plum, and a hint of peach unfold in the glass with admirable precision. The palate is well-balanced, with a fairly sharp acidity on the attack that lends it impressive tension and character. Surprisingly linear for such a hot vintage, with a hint of spice on the finish, this wine comes highly recommended.