Why it matters
The producer
Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret took over estate management in 2000 after withdrawing their family vineyards around Vinzelles from the local cooperative. They established La Soufrandière, paid closer attention to vineyard work, lowered yields and selected more rigorously. The property had been bought in 1947 by their paternal grandfather.
The domaine holds approximately 11.5 hectares across Pouilly-Vinzelles, Mâcon-Vinzelles, Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé, with 0.50 hectares of Aligoté. Organic and biodynamic certification was achieved in 2006 after the changeover began in 2003. Bud pruning limits yields to around 40 hl/ha.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The vineyards sit around Vinzelles in the Mâcon area, across appellations that give the range its names. Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts is a four hectare climat, while Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père comes from a one hectare site. In Burgundy, a climat is a named vineyard site within an appellation, so these names identify specific pieces of ground rather than broad regional wines.
Wines to know
The range in view
Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père is the entry level wine in the range. It is full of fruit and elegance. Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts is the named site Chardonnay from southeast facing vines aged 40 to 68 years old, produced for long term aging.
Les Quarts is aged in 228 liter oak barrels for 11 months, then spends six more months in tank for natural settling. The two wines place the range between an accessible Mâcon-Vinzelles bottle and a site specific Pouilly-Vinzelles wine built for time.