By Raymond Chan &
Sue Davies
It was a
privilege to meet and taste the wines of Jean-Guilliaume and Jean-Philippe
Bret, the young and talented brothers who run the Bret Brothers negociant
business and their domaine La Soufrandiere at Vinzelles in the Macon, southern
Burgundy. Since starting their business
and vinifying the fruit from their family vines in 2000, they have made a
remarkable impact on the wine scene, causing ripples internationally. Organic and biodynamic growing regimes and
low yields are at the heart of their work and quality. Each of the Bret Brother wines are made from
fruit sourced from one single plot, owned by one single grower. The domaine itself is small, with 6.15 ha
over the Pouilly-Vinzelles (two sites) and Macon-Vinzelles appellations plus
0.75 ha in Beaujolais. The quality of these artisanal wines from
Chardonnay fruit has been exemplary, and the character of every wine an
expression of unique terroir. One
wonders if the Bret Brothers would be wine ‘rock stars’ if they owned sites in
Puligny-Montrachet or Meursault and made wines in a similar fashion. The wines would be premier cru, if not grand
cru in standing for their fans. The Bret
Brothers wines punch way above their station, and are incredible value. All of the wines tasted were from the 2007
vintage, which produced subtle, elegant wines with excellent expression of
minerality and raciness. Vinification
was identical for all of the wines: whole bunch pressing with the use of
indigenous yeasts, plus oak fermentation and 11 months maturation in 228 litre
barrels. All of the differences are thus
attributed to site, soil and terroir:
The Bret Brothers Wines
First wine
was an introductory wine made as a blend of various climats, and as such,
different from the other wines. The Bret Brothers Macon-Villages ‘Terroirs du Maconnais’
2007 (17.0+/20) at 13.0% alc. Straw
yellow, this was clean, tight and concentrated on bouquet, with intense stonefruit,
minerals and steel on palate, kept mouthwatering and refreshing with good
acidity. Oak handling subtle and
harmonious, but adding substance. A
classical, youthful and vibrant Macon
white. Next was the Bret Brothers Macon-Uchizy ‘La Martine’ 2007 (17.5/20) at 13.0%
alc., from 50+ y.o. vines on ploughed, deep clay and limestone soil with small
limey stones. Straw yellow with a hint
of gold, this had a full and broad, peach-fruited nose, with a similarly open,
lush palate of ripe stonefruits. Nutty,
with a little reduction, simple and attractively accessible. Then came the Bret Brothers Viré-Clessé ‘Sous les Plantes’ 2007 (19.0-/20) at
13.5% alc., from vines 55-70 y.o. on soil with a silt component. Light golden-yellow, this had gorgeously
complex ripe, mealy stonefruit aromas with a distinctive barrel-ferment
nose. Beautifully textured with a
creaminess and oiliness, this had rich, flavoursome fruit and oaken characters
with nougat and butter notes. Complex in
character, with depth and excellent length.
Then on to
the classic Maconnais appellations, under the negociant label. Firstly the Bret Brothers Saint-Veran ‘En Combe’ 2007 (18.0/20) at 13.0% alc.,
from 35 y.o. vines on clay and limestone soil with a high iron oxide component. Pale straw in colour, this had a full, rich
and broad nose of stonefruits with a nutty barrel-ferment element and a touch
of reduction. Fully textured, a touch
phenolic even, this was soft, lowish in acidity, rounded and open drinking. Then the Bret
Brothers Pouilly-Fuissé ‘La Roche’ 2007 (19.0-/20) at 12.5% alc., from 50
y.o. vines from calcareous clay and limestone soil. Straw yellow with golden hues, this was a
wine of great purity, finesse and elegance.
Tight with nuttiness and mineral, the palate was crisp and refined, with
excellent freshness, elegance and minerality all in great balance. Beautiful floral notes, yet with power, line
and length.
The Wines of La Soufrandière
The fruit
from the family went to the local co-operative before 2000. First to be tasted was the La Soufrandière Macon-Vinzelles ‘Le Clos de
Grand-Père’ 2007 (18.5-/20) at 12.5% alc, from 20-100 y.o. with an average
of 50 years, on a rocky vein of hard limestone soils. Very even straw yellow in colour, this was
elegantly expressed on bouquet, with clarity and purity of minerals and white
stonefruit. A wine of elegance yet
concentration and depth, this was very refined and approachable, and possessed
great length. Next was the La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2007
(18.5/20) at 13.0% alc., from young vines at 23-45 y.o., from the ‘Les Quarts’
climat of clay and limestone soils. Pale
straw yellow in colour, this had a bracing, racy and fresh bouquet with pure
steel and minerals. The same purity and
racy steeliness was present on the palate.
A wine of sheer delicacy, elegance and flinty acidity. Then came the La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles ‘Les Quarts’ 2007 (19.0-/20) at
13.0% alc., from vines 40-70 y.o. in ‘living’ clay and limestone soil high in
red iron oxide. Straw yellow with golden
hues, this was full on the nose with complex stonefruit, nut and mineral
aromas, showing some evolution and savoury notes with a little sulphide. A wine of richness and real interest, the
flavours unfolded in the glass revealing classical Macon stonefruit flavours with fine textural
elements and good acidity, resulting in a complete wine of balance.
The final
wine was a botrytis-affected chardonnay that is made biannually so as to allow
the wine to be labelled a Pouilly-Vinzelles.
The La Soufrandière
Pouilly-Vinzelles ‘X-Taste’ 2006 (18.5+/20) at 12.0% alc., and 140 g/l rs
came from fruit from the highest parts of ‘Les Quarts’ with stony soils. Only one pièce (228 litre barrel) was made,
the wine having been aged in 57 litre oak barrels for 18 months. Deep, light golden coloured, the nose was
fully expressive of botrytis with honey, marmalade and caramel aromas, very
sweet and rich, with density and concentration, along with a clean steely edge
from the Pouilly-Vinzelles terroir and fresh acidity, preventing any
cloying. Quite decadent, yet with a
restraint. Rich and long on the
finish. An absolute rarity, only 550 375
ml bottles made.