J.A. Ferret Pouilly-Fuisse Hors Classe Les Menetrieres

With a well-anchored Mâconnaise footprint, and a dense material, the Ménétrières are a perfect Fuisséenne illustration as Jeanne Ferret understood it. After a light aeration, stand out flowers aromas but also lemon and lemon balm notes. We note a nice lengthening and a delicate and sappy finish.

2018

Burghound 91-93♥: A super-fresh combination is comprised by notes of a variety of citrus nuances that add interest to the pear, apple and gentle floral nuances. There is again excellent punch and mid-palate concentration to the medium-bodied flavors that possess a caressing yet powerful mouth feel before terminating in a saline, long and robust finale. This fine effort too should age well.

Wine Advocate 94: Mingling aromas of green pear, honeycomb, white flowers, fresh pastry and warm bread, the 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières is medium to full-bodied and fleshy but incisive, with a deep and layered core, fine concentration and a long, penetrating finish. It's early days, but this gets my nod as Ferret's finest 2018, surpassing the Tournant de Pouilly. Once again, Audrey Braccini has turned in a virtuosic performance at Domaine Ferret.

2019

Burghound 91-93♥: Once again there is just enough wood to merit pointing out surrounding the cool but ripe aromas of lemon rind, passion fruit and apple compote. The sleek middle weight flavors are not as dense or powerful as those of the Ménétrières or Prouges but they noticeably finer and with more evident minerality on the dry, clean and lingering finish. This is lovely and a bit more delicate than usual.

Wine Advocate 94: Unfurling in the glass with hints of pear, citrus oil, smoke, toasted nuts and white flowers, the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières is full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a textural attack that segues into a deep, concentrated core. Long and sapid, it's the most powerful, muscular wine in the range.

2020

Burghound 91-94♥: This is aromatically similar to the Tournant but with even more spice elements. There is even better volume and overt power to the big-bodied, concentrated and mouth coating flavors that aren't quite as complex but just as long on the balanced finish. This too is excellent and offers a different expression.

Wine Advocate 94+: The king of the cellar is the 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières, a brilliant wine in the making that unfurls in the glass with notes of peach, pear, confit citrus, hazelnuts, nutmeg, vanilla pod and light reduction. Full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a textural attack that segues into a layered and enveloping core, this concentrated, vibrant wine concludes with a long, resonant finish.

2021

Burghound 91-94♥: Ripe yet cool aromas of poached pear, apple, acacia blossom and soft wood introduce very rich, even opulent, middleweight plus flavors that possess both a highly beguiling texture and impressive power on the lemony, youthfully austere and balanced finale. This is also very powerful, but the mouthfeel is a bit sleeker.

Wine Advocate 91: Aromas of pear, mint, white peach, nutmeg and flowers introduce the 2021 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières, a medium to full-bodied, chalky and structured wine that exhibits solid depth despite the hail that afflicted this sector, concluding with a saline, chalky finish.