Located in Solutré-Pouilly, Les Combes is one of Jean-Marie Guffen’s favourite vineyards, a bias that makes perfect sense when you see the vineyard and taste the wines. The oldest vines were planted in 1915 and face north. Another parcel of vines, a mere 70 years old, faces south. Each parcel is picked and vinified separately before blending. Guffens maintains that the resulting whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Incidentally, the soils here are clay and limestone with a higher proportion of clay than most in this area (bringing power), and it’s therefore one of the few Verget wines to be fermented entirely in oak barrels (only 25% new). Having said that, the wine only spends seven months in cask before settling in tank.
Year in and year out, Les Combes is one of the crown jewels in the Verget stable, and the marvellous 2022 is no different. This year, Guffens picked his low-lying parcel early to maintain acidity and used a smaller proportion of the fruit from the riper, south-facing parcel to further retain structure and freshness. A statement in balanced power, old-vine density and freshness, expect all kinds of fleshy orchard fruit and citrus oil, subtle hints of wood spice flint and smoke and a super-long, driven close. This may need some time to harmonise, but it is clearly a class apart.