Thierry Drouin, Macon-Bussieres Le Vieux Puits

Elegant and pure, with rich aromas of vanilla, pear and pineapple, complemented by white floral notes through to a citrussy finish. All the charm of a great Mâcon. 

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 vines are planted on a north facing slope of the ‘Le Vieux Puits’ single vineyard, in the Mâconnais appellation. The vineyard is situated at an elevation of 200 metres and is tucked away with lovely exposure, which helps to promote the ripening of the grapes. 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 underwent slow and gentle pressing. The must was then decanted and racked into 50% stainless steel and 50% French oak barrels, of which 10% were new, where fermentation took place with selected organic yeasts in the stainless steel proportion, with natural yeasts in the barrels. Lees stirring took place adding complexity and texture. Malolactic conversion resulted in a softer mouthfeel. Ageing took place in tanks and barrels, lasting for seven months, followed by a further two months on the lees in stainless steel to ensure good oak integration.

Tasting Note

Elegant and pure, with rich aromas of vanilla, pear and pineapple, complemented by white floral notes through to a citrussy finish. All the charm of a great Mâcon. 

Grape

Chardonnay 100%