2009 Domaine des Nembrets Denis Barraud St-Véran

The Domaine des Nembrets, what Denis Barraud calls his estate on the slope of the Roche de Vergisson. The Roche is a giant Basalt outcropping in the Macon, what makes this an exception place for Chardonnay; is surrounding the “Roche” are soils of highly folded and well drained Limestone. It is on these slopes, depending of the specific soils, comes Pouilly Fuissé, Saint Veran, or Macon Vergisson. He does not like to chapitalize and keeps his fruit on the vine long enough so that it is not necessary. You can see this attention to detail in the quality and the purity of the fruit. At K&L you are more likely to see the single vineyard Pouilly Fuisses', which are great wines, showing complexity, persistence and poise beyond what you would expect for the appellation, but are never the first wine to disappear. Consistently, that honor belongs to the Saint Veran. The price point helps, for sure, but the quality and accessibility of this wine is undeniable. This is the perfect wine for neophyte and expert alike. The 09 is no different, I expect that this will not last thru the summer. 2009 Saint Veran $14.99 the wine exhibits good weight and length. The aromatics range from bright citrus, soft floral, to lush tropical and pineapple with a wisp of minerality. The palate shows the generosity of the vintage with more weight and texture than the last two vintages but framed, as always, with good acidity and minerality. This makes for a terrific aperitif, but I am salivating thinking about grilled poultry and seafood and this wine.

Chardonnay fans looking for a great deal need look no further than the Macon. This unoaked 2009 St. Veran from Denis Barraud has tons of fruit, terrific length, and pronounced mineral character. Round and full-bodied with refreshing acidity. A superb value under $15.