Clos des Rocs Pouilly-Loche Les Mures 2022

The limestone-rich red soils of Les Mûres, below which the mother rock lurks at a mere 20 centimeters distance, produce one of this appellation’s finest wines—destined for near-term premier cru status in Pouilly-Loché’s upcoming reconfiguration. Olivier owns a hectare’s worth of 70-year-old Chardonnay here, from which he produces a wine spellbinding in its saline mineral intensity. This cuvée spends 12 months in 500-liter barrels between two and eight years of age, and will develop gorgeously in bottle for well over a decade.

The estate counts 8.6 hectares of vines across seven parcels, principally in Pouilly-Loche, with plots in Macon-Loche and Pouilly-Fuisse rounding out the holdings. No chemical products are used in the vineyard and Olivier is committed to organic processes from start to finish, though he has chosen not to pursue certification. All grapes are manually harvested before a long pressing, followed by alcoholic fermentation using only indigenous yeasts; the elevage varies by cuvee and is detailed in the specific descriptions of each of the wines.