•
1 1

Wine Tasting Adventure

2021 Domaine Corsin, Saint-Véran `Vieilles Vignes` - Liberty

£21.99 GBP
£21.99 GBP

Domaine Corsin have made outstanding wines in Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé since 1864 and were among the first to label their wines as Pouilly-Fuissé and Mâcon Blanc. Today, the domaine is run by the sixth generation of the Corsin family, Jérémy, and comprises 13.6 hectares of Chardonnay, of which nine are in Saint-Véran.

Domaine Corsin’s Mâcon-Villages is unoaked and sourced from fruit grown on north-east facing slopes at an elevation of 200 – 280 metres, in the villages of Davayé and Solutré. The Saint-Véran ‘Tirage Précoce’ (which means ‘early racking’) is matured on its fine lees until bottling, creating excellent texture that complements distinct citrus aromatics and a refreshing acidity. The Saint-Véran ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is sourced from vines with an average age of 40 years old. Fermented in stainless steel, 35% of the wine is aged on its fine lees in oak barrels for eight months with occasional bâtonnage. It is defined by lemon zest and yellow peach flavours, lifted by a bright acidity.

The Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Vieilles Vignes’ is sourced from 55-year-old vines in both Fuissé and Solutré, at the heart of the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation. 40% of the wine is aged on its fine lees for 10 months, in oak barrels (20% new) with occasional bâtonnage. The Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru ‘Aux Chailloux’, is a prime lieu-dit that was awarded 1er status in 2020. Fermented 50% in oak and 50% in stainless steel, the resulting wine has flavours of ripe yellow fruits, sweet pastries and hints of marzipan which linger on the finish and illustrates why Pouilly-Fuissé is the most prestigious appellation of the Mâconnais.

The Chardonnay for the Saint-Véran Vieilles Vignes comes from a vineyard close to the village of Davayé. The vines are on average of 65 years old and are rooted in clay-limestone soils. Elevation is 200 metres and the aspect is north-easterly. The vineyard covers a total of 2.23 hectares.

The 2021 vintage was a difficult year in Burgundy. After a mild winter and a cold spell in spring, temperatures rose significantly to summer levels during late March-early April. This caused the vines to bud earlier than usual, which left fragile buds vulnerable. During early April, there was a sudden drop in temperature, with extremes of -8ºC. Despite the spring frosts, temperatures were warm during the summer, and flowering took place in July and the plentiful rainfall provided substantial hydric reserve. This allowed the grapes to ripen slowly at their own pace and recover from earlier vine stress due to harsh conditions. Despite being one of the smallest vintages ever in Burgundy, it produced wines with great freshness and finesse.

After hand harvest the grapes arrived at the winery where they were gently pressed in a pneumatic press. Fermentation took place in temperature-controlled, stainless-steel tanks. About half of the blend was aged in French oak barrels (20% new oak) for 10 months, the rest was kept in stainless-steel. The fine lees were stirred regularly to add texture to the palate.

Gold in colour, this Chardonnay opens with complex aromatic notes of white flowers, marmalade and fresh hazelnut. The palate is round and rich, with stone fruit notes. The smooth texture is lifted by a long and vibrant finish.