Domaine Masson-Blondelet, Pouilly Fumé, Villa Paulus, Burgundy, France, 2023

Producer Profile

Producers of Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre for 14 generations, the Masson family has a deep-rooted winemaking heritage.

Michelle and Jean-Michel Masson established Domaine Masson-Blondelet in 1975, and in 1980, they built a three-level, gravity-fed cellar in the heart of Pouilly to allow for gentle, natural winemaking. Their children, Mélanie and Pierre-François, joined the family estate in 2000, representing the seventh generation of winemakers at the domaine. The estate cultivates 21 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, planted on the finest slopes of the AOC. With south to south-east orientations, the vineyards benefit from optimal sun exposure and a unique microclimate created by the nearby Loire River, which is classified as a natural reserve. This exceptional setting, combined with a legacy of craftsmanship, allows the domaine to produce wines of precision, purity, and character.

Viticulture

The 25 to 40 year old vines that have not received any chemical fertilise since 1980 nor herbicides or insecticieds since 2002 are grown on Kimmeridgean marl are lightly hoed and regularly tilled by hand. Only organic amendments officially agreed for Organic Farming are used at the end of autumn. Treatments are minimal in order to protect fauna and soils, which are crucial development of the vegetation.

Winemaking

Fermentation takes place for at least 12 months in stainless steel tanks following cold settling, with extended aging on ultra-fine lees. The wine undergoes cold tartaric stabilisation, without malolactic fermentation, and sulphite levels are carefully managed in line with biodynamic guidelines.

Tasting Note

The wine displays a warm straw colour with golden highlights. It offers inviting aromas of ripe white peach layered with notes of quince, baked pear, dried apricot, and zesty orange peel. Smooth and subtly creamy on the palate, the wine reveals a focused structure balanced by lively depth, finishing with a relaxed, lingering elegance.

Food matching

Ideal as an aperitif. It is the perfect match with starters, fish, poultry, white meat and cheese (goat and sheep’s cheese, Comté)