Guffens-Heynen Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Jus Des Hauts des Vignes 2017

Des Hauts des Vignes is Guffens-Heynen's first-press cuvée, drawn from the highest of the domaine's Pouilly-Fuissé parcels below the Roche de Vergisson.

The estate was founded by Jean-Marie Guffens and Maine Heynen, who moved from Belgium to Vergisson in 1976 and bought their first vines at Pierreclos in 1979. It has stayed small, around 5.65 hectares of Chardonnay across Vergisson, Pierreclos and Davayé. The Pouilly-Fuissé holding runs to about a hectare divided between Vergisson climats including Les Croux, Les Petits Croux, Sur la Roche, Les Crays, La Côte and En Carementrant, and this cuvée is assembled from the higher-lying of them, which ripen later and hold more acidity. Viticulture is deliberately minimal, one shallow ploughing a year, cover crops mown year-round and no hedging, with yields around 30 to 40 hectolitres per hectare. The fruit is picked in several passes at full ripeness and pressed slowly, and the 1er Jus takes the first-run juice alone, fermented with wild yeasts in barrel and bottled without filtration.

Give it several years; serve at 10-12°C with roast poultry, grilled crayfish or a firm alpine cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.