Chateau des Quarts Pouilly-Fuisse 1er Cru Clos des Quarts Monopole 2020
Château des Quarts was created in 2012 through a joint partnership between two old friends: Dominique Lafon and Olivier Merlin.
For over a decade, Olivier had tasked himself with sourcing and making wine from the best sites within Pouilly-Fuissé. After buying grapes from Clos des Quarts for several vintages, he was one of the first approached with the news that it was for sale. Having been already convinced of the terroir's integrity he jumped on the opportunity.
The vineyard is located in Chaintré, the southernmost village of Pouilly-Fuissé. At just over 2 hectares, the oldest vines are almost a century old and are planted on an ideal slop of clay-limestone soil.
The 2020 Château des Quarts, which Merlin reminded me, he bought the fruit from between 2003 and 2011 before buying the property with Dominique Lafon, has a refined bouquet, fine mineralité with hints of white flower and wild mint. The palate is very focused with impressive density, fine acidity and a limestone-driven finish (though Merlin points out that here the limestone is less active than in other areas.) The saline finish lingers wonderfully. - 93pts Vinous
Moderate reduction pushes the underlying fruit to the background so a thorough aeration would be in order. Otherwise, there is excellent mid-palate density to the opulent and mouthcoating medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the powerful, sleek, impressively long and utterly beguiling finale. This is very good and a wine that could be enjoyed in its youth or held over the mid-term. - 92pts Burghound