Thierry Drouin Saint-Véran La Côte Dorée 2022
A fruity bouquet with sweet notes of apricot, peach, nectarine and plum prelude a broad palate with generous, fleshy fruit leading to a linear, mineral and refreshing finish.
The grapes predominantly come from a single vineyard and this cuvée is a true reflection of what the renowned terroir around the rock of Vergisson can produce. The vines are grown on very steep, south facing slopes at an altitude of 300 metres, where the soils are highly calcareous and offer good drainage properties. The vines are pruned according to the simple Guyot method, which produces a balanced yield, with green harvesting taking place to keep yields low and concentrate the flavours in the grapes. The vineyard is ploughed mechanically, and every other row is left with grass cover to encourage biodiversity in the vineyard. The vines are cultivated using copper and sulphur treatments and are harvested at optimum maturity.
The grapes were gravity-fed into the press where they were cooled and the must was transferred to French oak barrels, where it underwent fermentation with a combination of selected organic yeasts and wild yeasts. The wine went through malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer mouthfeel. Ageing in French oak barrels lasted for 10 months imparting gentle complexity and the wine spent a further three months in stainless steel tanks to ensure seamless oak integration.
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13% |
| Country | France |
| Region | Burgundy |
| Subregion | Saint-Véran |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Dry/Sweet value | 1 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Cork |
Thierry Drouin is located in the village of Vergisson, between the landmark rocks of the Roche de Vergisson and the Roche de Solutré-Pouilly. Thierry founded the winery in the 1980s and has been meticulously cultivating the appellations of Pouilly-Fuissé, SaintVéran and Mâcon ever since. In 2012, Charles-Edouard joined his father on the estate when he had finished his studies and the quality-conscious father and son duo produce a range of wines from their estate. In 2021, Thierry officially retired, although he can still be found pottering around the winery, and his son Charles-Edouard took over the reins as winemaker, carrying on the family name. They produce elegant and stylish wines, which are fresh, mineral and full of typicity.
