Château de Chaintré
Château de Chaintré is run by young winemaker Yannick Paquet...
Yannick is the son of Jean-Paul and Monique Paquet, who established themselves in Pouilly Fuissé in 1959. Together the family owns three Pouilly Fuissé domaines and have been making wines since 1971.
Vineyards
Yannick’s domaine, Château de Chaintré, consists of 4 hectares of Pouilly Fuissé vines with an average age of 35 years. It is located in Chaintré, with the altitude of the vineyard at 200-300 metres, providing lifted perfumes and crisp acidity. The south and south west exposure on the limestone and clay soils gives the wine the ripeness and weight that is characteristic of Pouilly Fuissé. The Paquets practice sustainable viticulture or ‘la lutte raisonnée’; they apply organic fertiliser annually according to the needs of every plot. Meticulous leaf plucking to increase airflow and exposure to sunlight is employed to combat fungal diseases instead of using sprays.
Vintage information
The 2011 was marked by odd climatic conditions. Winter was at its coldest very early on in November and December and then it was mild and dry until the end of March. Summer commenced in April with some glorious sunshine and heat. Ideal warm and dry weather continued into June. In July, the weather took a turn and became cooler and damper with heavy rainfall at times. In mid-August the warm weather returned just in time to bring the grapes to full ripeness. The 2011 wines are characterised by their purity of fruit and balance. Although the 2011s are not as concentrated as the 2010s, they are elegant and classic and are delightful for early drinking. The harvest began on the 27th of August and lasted two weeks with sunny conditions. All grapes were harvested by hand.
Vinification
After the grapes are hand harvested, they are sorted to ensure only the healthiest and ripest grapes are vinified. The grapes are pressed gently with a pneumatic press before being put into stainless steel tanks to settle and ferment using indigenous yeasts. The wines are then aged in 90% stainless steel and 10% oak barrels (50% new and 50% second and third fill) for 11 months on their fine lees to add depth and complexity.
Tasting Notes
This is not an over the top buttery Pouilly Fuissé, it is elegant, with just the right amount of richness on the palate expected from the finest Pouilly Fuissés
Vintage information
| Vintage | 2011 |
| Grape varieties |
100% Chardonnay |
| Region | Mâconnais, Burgundy |
| Winemaker | Yannick Paquet |
| Alcohol (ABV) | 13% |
| Acidity | 6.9g/l |
| Residual Sugar | 1g/l |
| Wine pH | 3.3 |
Trade customers
Liberty Wines customers can order this wine directly from us.