Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly-Fuissé 2006

Excellence and consistency go hand in hand at Domaine de la Collonge. Gilles Noblet's 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé is a bright, sunny elixir that dazzles and shimmers like the noonday sun. With every glance and sip of this fulfilling wine, one sees and tastes the golden clusters of Chardonnay grapes that mature gently and slowly under the Maconnais sun. What's more, the 2006 Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly-Fuissé exhibits Noblet's telltale ripe, round, seductive signature, a profile that appears to grow more scintillating with each successive vintage. On the nose, this lovely Pouilly-Fuissé offers up plenty of heavenly scents to recall the first blooms of spring, soft breezes, and the beckoning of freshly baked bread. Furthermore, Noblet's 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé possesses pinpoint purity and elegant minerality, all of which add to its overt charm. On the palate, the 2006 Domaine de la Collonge follows through with a truly beguiling array of flavors: rich apple fruit and an ethereal creaminess that capture the very essence of the Chardonnay grape. Moreover, Gilles Noblet's noble Pouilly-Fuissé possesses plenty of breed and charm along with nuance of flavor. In Gilles Noblet's wines, all is revealed with a little patience, so we suggest you stop to smell and taste the goodness of this kindly wine before you gulp it. And like most fine Pouilly-Fuissé, the 2006 Domaine de la Collonge is initially best served well chilled (40° F) and then allowed to evolve slowly in the glass as it approaches ambient temperature. Saluté!

The 2006 Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly-Fuissé is an easy wine to drink, both as an aperitif and with food. It is, also, an easy white wine to pair with many types of foods because it provides understated elegance to complement a wide variety of dishes, especially those made with fish and other fine fruits of the sea. Scallop and crab dishes constitute some of our favorite offerings with Gilles Noblet's Pouilly-Fuissé. Scallops, sautéed in a light cream sauce with pistachio nuts, are a perennial favorite. A simple crab cocktail or dip offers another memorable pairing to Gilles Noblet's elegant 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé. Flounder, stuffed with crabmeat, makes a wonderful partner, too. In addition, baked or grilled sole, sea bass, and grouper offer other fine choices with this wine. And for those not beholden to the sea for sustenance, roast chicken, light pastas, and healthy salads present other excellent alternatives to share with this beautiful Macon Chardonnay. Moreover, short of great French Champagne, we cannot think of a better way to kick off a relaxing evening or a pleasant interlude than with a bottle of the 2006 Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly-Fuissé. It complements creamy, cow's milk cheeses with aplomb, too, so we suggest you keep an extra bottle or two on hand to share after dinner with friends to wash away the weather stained cares of life. Enjoy!

Gilles Noblet at Domaine de la Collonge continues to fashion some of the Macon's (the area of southern Burgundy that is known for its elegant Chardonnay wines) finest and most enjoyable white wines from several renowned appellations. Noblet's Domaine de la Collonge is a small family owned and run domain of only 22 acres. Gilles is the fourth generation member of his family to make wine at this prized property. For the record, Gilles' wife also comes from a traditional winemaking family. Madame Noblet is the sister of Jacky Janodet, the present dean of Grand Cru Beaujolais, so wine and winemaking run deep in the heart and soul of this couple as well as in the terroir of the domaine's well-tended vineyards. The name Domaine de la Collonge derives from the sector or area (known as an aire) of the Fuissé commune that is called Collonge. Most of Gilles Noblet's estate is spread along the hills of la Collonge, which yield on average only a little more than six thousand cases of Pouilly-Fuissé each year. However, Monsieur Noblet also fashions small quantities of exceptional Macon-Fuissé, Pouilly-Loché, and St. Véran – all elegant Chardonnay based wines similar to Pouilly-Fuissé. Although not certified organic, Gilles Noblet practices sustainable agriculture and uses non-interventionist methods almost exclusively at Domaine de la Collonge. No artificial fertilizers or insecticides are employed, and only natural yeast is used in fermentation. Moreover, the average age of the vines for Domaine de la Collonge is more than forty years, while many vines are considerably older. Noblet's old vines and reduced yields result in wines that are more generous and concentrated than the average Maconnais white. In appellations that traditionally turn out large quantities of wine, Gilles Noblet decided a long time ago to dance to a different beat. Rather, the Noblet style of Chardonnay is one of elegance, purity, and the honest expression of each appellation's terroir. Noblet's Pouilly-Fuissé features a real balance between flesh and bone, fruit and minerality, if you will. In addition, Noblet uses traditional wooden foudres (large wooden tanks) with temperature control elements for fermentation to ensure texture and a gentle roundness in his wine. He also ages his wine in a combination of foudres and small oak barriques; only 20% or less are new each year. The limited use of new oak is practiced expressly, so that the oak barrels impart roundness and texture to the wine, rather than the overwhelming taste of oak that destroys the natural delicacy of Pouilly-Fuissé and its siblings. In essence, the wines of Domaine de la Collonge are classic white Burgundies as well as some of the most compelling wines of the Maconnais.