The 2017 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes is superb, unfurling in the glass with notes of preserved citrus, dried white flowers, iodine and buttered apples. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with a gourmand attack that segues into a tense, chiseled mid-palate and finish. It's a terrific Pouilly-Fuissé and gets my nod as Verget's greatest 2017. Drink 2018-2028.
The wood treatment is somewhat less prominent though the reduction again overshadows the fruit. I like the sense of verve suffusing the rich and appealingly textured medium-bodied flavors that possess slightly better detail on the lemony, clean and dry finish where a hint of warmth emerges.
The nose has a rich mix of fruits the palate concentrated flavours at the start. Lighter in the middle there is a strong citrus influence the back-palate fresh the finish chalky and flinty. 2018-23
This cuvée has a fine balance thanks to vines being exposed to both the South (85%) and North (15%). The vines are on average over 70 years old with low yields. The fermentations lasted until December with a further 7 months of ageing in barrel with 25% new oak. Struck match, buttered peaches, red apples and sweet vanilla on this complex and aromatic nose. The palate has great density and richness, but superb precision thanks to the lively acidity that tames the riper peach notes and brings out apple and ripe lemon. The creamy, spicy undertones build through the mid palate to give lemon curd and baked vanilla. The oak is spicy but well-integrated, complementing rather than dominating the intense fruit core. Very long on the finish, suggesting that though this is superb now, it will only improve with 2-3 years in bottle.