Thierry Drouin, 'Plaisance' Saint-Véran

Delicate floral notes are layered with citrus and ripe yellow fruits through to an elegant and mineral palate with lively, lemony notes

Producer Note

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, Saint-Véran 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.

Vineyard

The Chardonnay grapes come from a blend of plots at the bottom of the finest slopes of the Saint-Véran appellation, neighbouring the vineyards of Pouilly-Fuissé. The vines are planted at 150 to 250 metres elevation with various orientations and exposures which impart aromatic complexity. The soils are rich in limestone, which are generally alkaline, and produce bright, crisp wines with renowned elegance and expressive aromatics. 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

Winemaking

The grapes were gravity-fed into the press where they were cooled and the must was transferred to temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, where it underwent fermentation with selected organic yeasts. The wine went through malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer mouthfeel. Ageing lasted for eight months, in stainless steel tanks to retain the purity of fruit and crisp freshness of the Chardonnay grapes.

Tasting Note

Delicate floral notes are layered with citrus and ripe yellow fruits lead to a palate combining an elegant and mineral structure with lively, lemony notes. 

Grape

Chardonnay 100%