Wine By Bok - 9.25/10 stars
Verget Poilly Fuisse Les Combes Vieilles Vignes 2022 versus Verget Poilly Fuisse 1er Cru Les Crays 2022
Let’s talk about Verget Poilly Fuisse Les Combes VV first. Over the years, we have been buying this wine without hesitation, as it’s for sure Verget’s top wine. A sip of Les Combes, it’s hard not to fall in love with it, the ripeness of the fruits, the power and great acidity. The content itself made the premier cru wine sitting next to it tasted poorly. Now I want to spend more time talking about Verget Poilly Fuisse 1er Cru Les Crays. On the initial sip, it didn’t have the vibrancy of Les Combes, and it lacked flavor as well, what it possessed was very decent level of finesse and elegance, but as usual, always overwhelmed by powerful wines like Les Combes. However, unlike many critics who took a sip and jump to a score conclusion, I followed the two bottles from head to toe to give it a fair evaluation. I can assure you why so many critics got their judgment wrong. If they have put aside a glass of Les Crays for half an hour and revisit it later, they will be shocked to find the content has totally morphed into a wine as powerful as Les Combes, and not only that, it still possessed the finesse and elegance, while the acidity is even more prominent. I have observed a really stunning evolution of Les Crays, and normally such evolution is only detected with wines of better quality (1er cru and above). I welcome drinkers to do similar experiment to find out what’s the difference between premier cru and village level wines and not just judge wines by a sip, and definitely not judge the wines by fruit ripeness itself! (12/2023)

Vinous - 95 Points

The 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes is clean and precise on the nose, certainly one of the most mineral-driven cuvées from Guffens this vintage. The palate is built around a killer line of acidity, beautifully integrated, poised with a hint of peach and yellow plum towards the pixelated finish. You will find few Pouilly-Fuissé better than this in 2020 (11/2021)

Wine Advocate - 94 Points

Picked in three successive passages over the course of three weeks, the 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Combes Vieilles Vignes wafts from the glass with scents of citrus zest, crisp green orchard fruit, white flowers and rock salt. Full-bodied, layered and concentrated, it's chiseled and precise, its satiny attack segueing into a complete mid-palate and a long, saline finish. (8/2021)

Winemaker Notes:

Crafted from a harmonious blend of 70% south-facing and 30% north-facing vineyards, this exceptional wine draws its strength from vines that have gracefully weathered more than seven decades, yielding modest clusters of small, concentrated berries. These vineyards thrive in clay-based soils that impart distinctive character to the wine. In the remarkable vintage of 2020, the vineyard plot underwent a meticulously planned harvest, occurring in three successive "tries": the first at the harvest's outset, the second in the middle, and the third on the very last day. Each batch was pressed and vinified separately, with this cuvée comprising only the pristine free-run juices, which were then gently vinified in oak barrels, of which 25% were new. The fermentation process persisted until November, followed by an additional 8 months of maturation in barrels. On the nose, this wine dazzles with its impeccable precision, revealing vibrant notes of citrus and stone fruit, delicately interwoven with hints of sweet spice, creaminess, and a touch of honey. The palate embodies a silky-smooth texture, as waves of luscious peaches and apricots seamlessly mingle with refreshing accents of citrus oil and a subtle trace of struck flint. Throughout the tasting experience, an exquisite interplay unfolds between intense richness and a captivating acidity, resulting in a Chardonnay that is masterfully crafted to simultaneously allure the senses and age gracefully. An absolute masterpiece.