La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays 2017

Les Longeays is a continuation of the Les Quarts hillside. La Soufrandière has 0.55-hectares of vines here and they were planted in 1971. While Les Quarts faces east, with a stunning panorama over the Saône, Longeays wraps around the contour of the Vinzelles hill as it turns east/south east. It's therefore a warmer site and can be harvested as much as a week before Les Quarts. Also there is a soil change. Unlike Les Quarts, where the limestone lies close to the surface, Longeays has metres of deep red clay before the vines hit the mother rock. Given these deeper, clay-rich soils, you might be surprised by the electric mineral intensity of this cuvée. Yes there's plenty of texture and depth of fruit but it is all balanced by wonderful minerality and juicy acidity as well a nip of phenolic bite. Expect aromas and flavours of citrus rind, ripe stone fruits and pine, as well as a smoky, iodine tone that might remind some tasters of the Jura. When it all comes together, this will be quite something.