Château des Rontets - Pouilly-Fuissé Les Birbettes 2023

Les Birbettes offers an extra touch of refinement, with magnificent breadth that lingers on the palate and unfolds with penetrating intensity on the finish, all expressed with great naturalness.

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 Les Birbettes includes vineyard plots dating back to before the war and half a hectare planted after the phylloxera epidemic. Once again, it offers an alluring, fairly complex, and mineral-driven bouquet, with subtle notes of oyster shells and a hint of mint. The palate is well-balanced with lively, fresh, and taut acidity, commendable depth, and a slightly viscous finish. This wine is superb.