Wine Reviews

From a gently sloping site, the 2023 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Les Ménétrières is a wine of considerable density yet one defined by balance. The nose opens with ripe apricot, vanilla and lime blossom beneath a top note of buttery reduction that should recede with air and time. Full-bodied, the palate is concentrated and silken, its weight drawn into line by tangy acidity. Despite its richness, the wine never feels heavy, instead maintaining an impressive sense of volume and composure. The finish is long and flavorful, marked by chestnut cream and a sea-salted edge. It’s a beautiful wine with clear aging potential.

The 2023 Pouilly-Fuissé Hors-Classe Tournant de Pouilly is a nobly powerful, concentrated wine that is defined by a powdery texture and a firm limestone backbone. Apple and pear lead the nose, accompanied by a subtle note of lime leaf and a touch of vanilla oak. The palate is tightly coiled and densely structured, its concentration countered with ripe acid and subtle bitter edges. There is considerable substance here but also the precision and structural reserve required for extended aging. It closes with authority and persistence, with the limestone character lingering through the finish.

The 2023 Pouilly-Fuissé Tête de Cru Clos des Prouges comes from a vineyard planted with 76-year-old vines and was raised with 25% new oak. It opens with a blossom-tinged nose, followed by ripe and honeyed fruit, especially nectarine. On the palate, the wine is immediately round and voluminous, with a creamy texture that fills the mouth before narrowing along the mid-palate, tightened by the emergence of its underlying powdery throughline. The finish is long and persistent, leaving a flavorful hazelnut-tinged impression.

The 2022 Nero d’Avola Saia opens with a confectionery bouquet of crushed blueberries, violet pastille and spiced oak. It’s round and pliant with depths of ripe red and black fruits that flow across a wave of vibrant acidity. Sour citrus enlivens the finale as the 2022 tapers off long, staining, but ultimately fresh.

The 2024 Grillo Olli is more savory than sweet as notes of nectarine blend with lime zest and almond custard. It spreads across the palate with mineral-enhanced orchard fruits and gingery spice. The 2024 lingers long, salty and intense.