Why it matters
The producer
Domaine Guerrin et fils is a family domaine in Vergisson, a village in the Mâconnais whose vineyards sit between two prominent limestone formations. The estate's fragmented shape is part of its character: more than 35 small parcels spread across 14 hectares give Bastien Guerrin a collection of sites instead of one uniform vineyard block.
Bastien now manages the domaine after taking over from his father. His cellar choices favour natural yeast fermentations, less new oak, and longer élevage. Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes carries those decisions most visibly, combining old-vine Chardonnay, barrel fermentation, lees contact, rounded texture, and a dry finish.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Vergisson places Guerrin inside the Mâconnais, while Pouilly-Fuissé names the appellation attached to the domaine's most developed Chardonnay. The village address and the bottle name work together: the regional setting supplies warm, ripe fruit, while the elevated limestone parcels bring mineral definition and a firm line through the palate.
La Citadelle carries the broader Coteaux Bourguignons label context and is associated with a site in Leynes. Its named plot sits at 380 metres on granite with southwest exposure, giving this bottle a different physical frame from the limestone parcels around Vergisson.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
Fourteen hectares divided among more than 35 parcels give the domaine a fine-grained vineyard base. Rocky limestone and altitude provide the setting for mineral-led wines with ripe fruit. Bastien's use of natural yeast keeps fermentation tied to the cellar's own microbial population, while reduced new oak leaves less overt wood flavour in the finished wines.
Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes comes from low-yielding vines around 45 years old. Barrel fermentation and work on the lees build a fuller middle palate, yeasty and brioche-like aromas, and a rounded texture that still finishes dry.
Wines to know
The range in view
Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes sits at the developed end of the documented range. It is a white Chardonnay from older vines, with barrel fermentation and lees contact giving it white peach, citrus blossom, almond, nectarine, lemon zest, brioche, and a dry mineral finish. The oak is integrated, so the wine feels layered without turning sweet or heavy.
Les Deux Versants is another Pouilly-Fuissé expression. As it opens, nectarine, lemon zest, and brioche appear across the palate, with a measured relationship between fruit, minerality, and oak. Its shape is marked by a taut line and a clean, satisfying close.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 2023 is the first bottle to open. It is 100% Chardonnay from roughly 45-year-old vines, fermented in barrel and worked on the lees. The glass begins with white peach, citrus blossom, and almond, then broadens into nectarine, lemon zest, and brioche. Its rounded texture and delicate oak are held in place by mineral definition and a dry finish. The bottle brings together the estate's grape, older vines, elevated limestone setting, and cellar work in one white wine.