2014 Tripoz
Pouilly-Loche 1ere Reserve

In all honesty, Chardonnay is not my favorite wine. I really prefer leaner, more acidic wines. I like wines that exhibit minerality rather than lush fruit. Wines that are nutty and grassy are pretty high on my list. And weird wines that are not really very fresh tasting, that are a bit oxidized, maybe with some kerosene-like aromas or waxy, apple peel flavors, are very interesting and enjoyable to me. But, full bodied, fresh, fruit driven, delicious wines? Not so much.

You see, I think most Chardonnays are dull. One dimensional. A straight line. No surprises. No complexity. Fruit. Butter. Oak. Rinse. Repeat. Sure, they taste good. But all too often, there is no mystery, no hidden, secondary aromas and flavors. The first sip is the same as the next, and the next and the next. Yawn.

But…

When a Chardonnay is right, when it has fruit, butter and oak AND complexity AND acidity AND some interesting vegetal and mineral flavors, then…wow. Then, I am forced to admit that, damn, this Chardonnay is really very good. It fact, it’s great. It rocks!

This is one of those Chardonnays. One that rocks.

Pouilly-Loché is one of those small appellations in Burgundy that few have heard of and is often overlooked. Located adjacent to the better know (and much larger) Pouilly-Fuissé, the only approved grape in the AOC is Chardonnay. Vines have been grown here since Roman times, and Benedictine monks presided during the Middle Ages. There is a wide diversity of soil types; sandstone and schist to the north and clay-limestone to the south. Its sun-washed throughout the summer and into fall and the best vineyards are on eastern facing hills with moderate elevation. It’s really perfect for Chardonnay.

Celine and Laurent Tripoz started their domaine in 1986, first selling grapes to the local cooperative before making their own wines in 1990.  They became interested in organic and then biodynamic viticulture, converting the domaine very early on. This is their flagship wine, with grapes coming from three parcels of different soil type, each contributing their unique attributes to the wine. The wine spends 2 years in large barrels and the slow maturation adds to the overall balance. Beautiful, bountiful fruit flavors prevail in the wine, kissed by spicy oak and yet balanced by lively acidity. Its nearly perfect in its finesse and harmony. Its my favorite wine this week, even if it is Chardonnay.