Jean-Philippe worked an internship with Jean-Marie Guffens of Verget (Sologny), Comtes Lafon (Meursault), Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac) and Paul Draper at Ridge (Sonoma) while his brother Jean-Guillaume spent time at Château de la Gardine (Châteuneuf-du-Pape), De Loach (Sonoma), Newton (Napa), and Domaine Raphet (Morey-Saint-Denis).  Returning to assume control of the family vineyards was to benefit the wine world indeed!   Admirably they have combinined the expressiveness of New World Chardonnay and the unflashy opulence of Burgundy.

Pouilly-Vinzelles is less well known than its illustrious cousin, Pouilly Fuissé, but certainly merits a detour to La Soufrandière to taste fine fresh wines whose finesse is equaled only by its elegance. The aromatic framework of La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 'Les Quarts' combines the maturity of the 70 year old vines with freshness, minerality and structure. This is pure Chardonnay in all its glory, with only the slightest subtle hints of notes of barrel ageing.

'Mâcon-Chardonnay' is not an example of pandering to New World-style varietal nomenclature by a French producer:  rather it refers to the ancient village in the heart of the Cote Mâconnais from which the wine - and the name of the grape - originate.  The tiny 1.23 acre vineyard is a classic east/south east facing clay and limestone terroir ('Chardonnay est la village calcaire par excellence' says the Brets' website).  The wine is vinified in oak and matured for 11 months in barrel. It is state-of-the-art white burgundy from Mâcon, combining fresh aromas of apple and citrus, mouth-filling leesy/nutty flavours, plenty of minerality, and crisp acidity. It is lovely to drink now, but in typical Bret Brothers style it will age gracefully, developing the indescribable textures and flavours of old fashioned (and almost forgotten) great white burgundy. It is an outstanding value.