Domaine Michel Redde & Fils - Pouilly-Fumé Barre à Mine 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Sébastien and Romain Redde continue to build on the success of this iconic Pouilly estate, founded in the 1950s by their grandfather Michel. Actively developed by their father Thierry, the range covers the appellation’s five terroirs. They have since structured it into single-vineyard cuvées, spread across the 40 hectares of vineyards (including 1.5 hectares of Chasselas). In 2016, the Barre-à-Mine cuvée was born from a former flint quarry, planted at 10,000 vines per hectare and restored after a titanic effort. The Majorum cuvée represents the jewel of the range, sourced from the oldest vines and produced only in exceptional vintages. The well-equipped winery, meticulous aging, and the two brothers’ drive for improvement cement this estate’s place among the sector’s finest success stories.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

The estate was founded in the 17th century by a man named François Redde, a winemaker from Pouilly-sur-Loire. His distant descendant, Michel Redde, revived the winery in the 1950s. Today, his son Thierry and his grandsons Sébastien and Romain run the 40-hectare estate, which is in the process of converting to organic farming.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

In contrast, Barre à Mine 2020 is more slender and upright, with a finish that emphasizes bitter notes. We’ve tasted it before when it was more full-bodied and concentrated.

About the estate:

This historic estate—one of the few to grow Chasselas grapes—is now run by Thierry Redde’s two sons, Sébastien and Romain. Alongside fairly classic wines that are never treated with enzymes or yeast (such as La Moynerie or the very ripe Majorum), the lineup is organized by terroir, at the initiative of the new generation: Les Bois de Saint-Andelain (red flint-rich clay), Les Cornets (Kimmeridgian marl), Champs des Billons (Portlandian limestone), Barre à Mine (high-density vines planted with a crowbar in a former flint quarry), and, most recently, Les Toupées (Oxfordian limestone). The latest vintages are crafted with meticulous care and undeniable integrity.

Vinous

About the wine:

Harvested from a flint quarry—which was dynamited to create this terroir—and produced from relatively young vines, this wine initially displays a delicate, supple style with a scent of flint, a precise, taut line running through its core, a subtle hint of fresh green herbs that reminds us that Pouilly is a Sauvignon-producing region, and even a touch of white pepper. The powerful style has a seductive bitterness that forms a cohesive whole. This wine is wonderfully balanced and aromatic. You’ll even detect spices that warm the palate. Unique and intriguing.