La Soufrandière

“Stupendous Showing”: 2022 from the El Dorado of the Mâconnais
La Soufrandière
Watching this domaine go from strength to strength has been a joy. We first met Jean-Phillipe Bret in 2012 and were blown away by this pristine 2010 vintage, just as we were by the passion and energy he directed towards his vineyards. Not long after, we met his brother, Jean-Guillaume, who was no less excitable. As two self-confessed workaholics, they have built an outstanding estate that reminds the world that great white Burgundy does not tune out at the southern limit of Chassagne. Has it been easy? Not at all. Has it been worth it? Certainly.

2022 is an exceptional vintage for this address. With a confluence of ripeness and freshness that has come to typify this great year, all the wines below offer a captivating balance of density, structure and raciness—the best of all worlds. This is despite the well-noted warmth and dryness of the vintage. The fact is that the best Mâconnais terroirs hold a trump card in this time of climate change. With a wide variety of expositions, altitudes and rocky soils, the region can deliver freshness and tension in warm vintages, which cannot always be taken for granted along the Côte de Beaune’s southeast-facing slopes. It’s telling that, while the grapes were already fermenting in the cellars of the Côte de Beaune in 2022, the Bret brothers were still harvesting in their cooler, high-altitude terroirs around Vergisson.

When we met last year, Jean-Phillipe told us his Pouilly-Vinzelles vineyards of Les Quarts and Les Longeays are highly likely to be awarded 1er Cru status from the 2024 vintage. We jokingly asked him if this would make the wines even better! It won’t, of course, but the promotion would further attest to the quality of this grower’s biodynamic vineyards and exacting viticulture.

The Wines

Bret Brothers Mâcon-Chardonnay Climat Les Crays 2022
Added

Bret Brothers Mâcon-Chardonnay Climat Les Crays 2022

Organic. The older citizens of Chardonnay near Tournus will tell you that their village provided the name for the famous Burgundy variety. What is certain is that the word “Chardonnay” comes from the Latin “cardus”, which means “thistle”—spikey plants that grow particularly well on limestone soils! The Les Crays terroir lies in the hamlet of Champvent, and the name itself, from the French for chalk (craie), gives you a clue to the nature of the soils, where white limestone rocks lay scattered throughout the clay strata. Jean-Philippe Bret tells us it is not easy to source organic vineyards in his area; he stuck gold with this 0.4-hectare parcel of 30- to 40-year-old vines. Vinified entirely in barrels in 2022, this cracking white Burgundy combines textural quince and Granny Smith fruit with a precise stony palate and fine, chalky close.

“Hmm – that’s beautifully mouth-filling then mouth-watering – just delicious – only a nose short of being a great wine today – long and a hint chalky too – yes! ‘Not the red limestone of Vinzelles that has some iron in it – this is very white terroir.”
Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report
Bret Brothers Mâcon-Chardonnay Climat Les Crays 2022
Added
Bret Brothers Mâcon-Villages Terroirs du Mâconnais 2022
Added

Bret Brothers Mâcon-Villages Terroirs du Mâconnais 2022

Bret Brothers Mâcon-Villages Terroirs du Mâconnais 2022
Added
La Soufrandière Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père 2022
Added

La Soufrandière Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père 2022

Biodynamic. This grows in a very old, genuine clos (walled vineyard) that sits on rocky, hard limestone bedrock close to the surface and is believed to be an old Roman path. The vineyard is on the lower part of the Pouilly-Vinzelles slope and is therefore classed as Mâcon-Vinzelles. The Bret brothers’ maternal grandfather purchased the site, hence the name Le Clos de Grand-Père. Speaking of maturity, some plants in this 0.7-hectare plot are now over 100 years old, and the average age is around 60 years. As is usual for this cuvée, the 2022 was mostly tank-raised—with just 10% old barrels used for maturation. From a lower-lying site that tends to deliver the most appreciable wine in the range, there is super energy this year.

“A more focused and very mineral width of aroma – that’s lovely. Actually fuller but a hint less focused than the last – the inverse of the last. Larger scaled in the finish. This is for keeping while you are drinking the previous! Really persistent finishing too – delicious wine here!”
Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report
La Soufrandière Mâcon-Vinzelles Le Clos de Grand-Père 2022
Added
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022
Added

La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022

Biodynamic. This wine grows in one of Mâcon’s very best sites. Les Quarts is sectioned into four lieux-dits (or historical place names): Haut, Bas, Le Clocheton and Les Quarts Touches. This is a blend of those parcels which do not make it into La Soufrandière’s Les Quarts cuvée. The vines, aged 35 to 50 years old, are a touch younger than those for the Les Quarts bottling, and this also includes a small parcel of Au Bourgeois just in front of Les Bouchardières.

Planted at 230 metres on classic Bajocian clay and Jurassic limestone, this beautiful slope has been certified biodynamic since 2006. The 2022 was vinified mainly in old barriques. The domaine uses no new oak, by the way, with the barrels in the cellar having an average age of 10 to 12 years. Along with ex-Leflaive and Lafon barrels, the Bret brothers also bought used 300-litre casks from Olivier Lamy.

This wine has always been touching 1er Cru quality, so it’s no surprise that Jean-Phillipe believes Les Quarts will likely become a certified 1er Cru from the 2024 vintage (even if this cuvée will not be labelled 1er Cru). Expect drive, satiny depth and length of flavour with beautiful, tonic freshness running throughout.




“More focus to this width of fruit again – slightly golden citrus fruit. Really mouth-filling and this is the wine that despite its energy is the one with the most focus. That’s a great wine!”
Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022
Added
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022 (1500ml)
Added

La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022 (1500ml)

Biodynamic. This wine grows in one of Mâcon’s very best sites. Les Quarts is sectioned into four lieux-dits (or historical place names): Haut, Bas, Le Clocheton and Les Quarts Touches. This is a blend of those parcels which do not make it into La Soufrandière’s Les Quarts cuvée. The vines, aged 35 to 50 years old, are a touch younger than those for the Les Quarts bottling, and this also includes a small parcel of Au Bourgeois just in front of Les Bouchardières.

Planted at 230 metres on classic Bajocian clay and Jurassic limestone, this beautiful slope has been certified biodynamic since 2006. The 2022 was vinified mainly in old barriques. The domaine uses no new oak, by the way, with the barrels in the cellar having an average age of 10 to 12 years. Along with ex-Leflaive and Lafon barrels, the Bret brothers also bought used 300-litre casks from Olivier Lamy.

This wine has always been touching 1er Cru quality, so it’s no surprise that Jean-Phillipe believes Les Quarts will likely become a certified 1er Cru from the 2024 vintage (even if this cuvée will not be labelled 1er Cru). Expect drive, satiny depth and length of flavour with beautiful, tonic freshness running throughout.


“More focus to this width of fruit again – slightly golden citrus fruit. Really mouth-filling and this is the wine that despite its energy is the one with the most focus. That’s a great wine!”
Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles 2022 (1500ml)
Added
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts 2022
Added

La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts 2022

Biodynamic. This steep vineyard is the cradle of the Soufrandière estate and one of Mâcon’s most significant sites. Ploughed mostly by horse and farmed biodynamically since 2001, it produces the Bret brothers’ most profound wines. The Bajocian-era limestone soils are high in calcium carbonate and quartz and rich in iron (giving the rock an ochre tint). There is also some granitic influence. Most of the vineyard sits on soil only 20 to 30cm deep before the roots hit the mother rock. In some sections, the topsoil can be scraped aside by hand to reveal the bare limestone. When matched with the appropriate viticulture, this results in wines with the mineral clout to cut through even the ripest, juiciest fruit.

What we love about this wine is that it’s so proudly Mâconnais—with layers of textured, voluminous fruit—yet it is also incredibly precise, with the poise, length and mineral freshness of the best Côte de Beaune whites. It helps that the mass-selection vines are aged between 50 and 80 years (with younger vine material at the site declassified into the straight Pouilly-Vinzelles).

“It has a very detailed bouquet. It's minerally and lightly spiced with a touch of peppermint coming through with aeration. The palate is cohesive on the entry, perhaps with a touch more weight than the Les Longeays, fresh with a slightly honeyed finish, evidencing the warmth of the growing season. Give this a couple of years in bottle because it has huge potential.”
93 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
La Soufrandière Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Quarts 2022
Added
La Soufrandière Saint-Véran Climat La Bonnode 2022
Added

La Soufrandière Saint-Véran Climat La Bonnode 2022

Biodynamic. This excellent Prissé climat is one of the vineyards the Bret brothers recently purchased in partnership with Dominique Lafon. The 40-year-old vines face due east in a sheltered spot just below a small forest at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson. The vines here were recently certified biodynamic and had been organically farmed by the previous owners. It’s not hard to see why the brothers are so effusive about this patch of dirt (also home to 0.3 hectares of old-vine Aligoté). It’s a big plot of two hectares, with the rows running down a slope, so the grapes ripen in stages and must be picked in successive passes. That said, a good portion of the fruit goes to the Brets’ two experimental cuvées, Ovoïde and Carbonnode (nothing to do with our Sophie)! It ferments and ages for the first year in barrel before transferral to tank before the next harvest. The vineyard’s propensity to deliver balance between density and vibrancy is beautifully rendered this year.

“The 2022 Saint-Véran Climat La Bonnode, which is, in fact, the source for the Aligoté, has plenty of yellow fruit on the nose. It's well-defined with melted candle wax and pressed white flowers. The palate is nicely balanced and citrus-driven on the entry: orange zest mixed with pear and lychee. It flows nicely towards its composed finish. This marks a step up from the previous vintage.”
90 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
La Soufrandière Saint-Véran Climat La Bonnode 2022
Added
La Soufrandière St-Véran La Combe Desroches 2022
Added

La Soufrandière St-Véran La Combe Desroches 2022

Biodynamic. La Combe Desroches is one of the vineyards Soufrandière purchased in 2016. The 1.5-hectare parcel was already managed biodynamically, and six years under the Bret regime have added even more precision to this linear expression of Saint-Véran. La Combe Desroches is located at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson on the north-facing hillside of a stunning valley. The soils are eroded limestone and clay. Jean-Philippe Bret notes that the grapes “achieve lovely ripeness despite this cooler terroir”. The vines always perform well in warm, dry vintages thanks to good water storage. This cuvée is raised predominantly in tank (two-thirds of the blend) to lock in the tension.

“The 2022 Saint-Véran Cuvée La Combe Desroches comes from north-facing vines. It has a lovely, fresh, peppermint-tinged bouquet that has a skip in its step. It's vivacious. The palate is very well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity. The 2022 is an elegant Saint-Véran with touches of lemon curd and white pepper towards the finish. What a delightful, sprightly Mâconnais.”
90 points, Neal Martin, Vinous
“A calmer nose, fine ripe yellow – almost gold – citrus. Lots of gas but what a mounting energy and juiciness. That’s a wine that I would calm with a carafe today – great, great finishing – I love it!” Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report
La Soufrandière St-Véran La Combe Desroches 2022
Added

“Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret's wines are certainly not on the cheap side for the Mâcon region, then again, they are cheaper than a lot of Côte de Beaune whites and the care and dedication equals any grower you will find there… overall these remain some of the benchmarks of Mâconnais.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate



“Domaine La Soufrandière is the family estate of dynamic brothers Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret where they produce beautifully satiny, pure wines…” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate



“Always outstanding wines from here – as often as not, their contract wines as good as those from the domaine!” Bill Nanson, Burgundy Report



“I have enjoyed these wines for many years; they are explorations in terroirs and biodynamics. High points include stupendous showing from Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays and Les Quarts… Readers should also seek out their 2022 Saint-Véran Climat La Bonnode, which represents fantastic value.” Neal Martin, Vinous

Other Recent Releases

  • Bannockburn
    Bannockburn
    Where there is smoke, there is fire. It’s not just the quality of Bannockburn’s Chardon...
    Where there is smoke, there is fire. It’s not just the quality of Bannockburn’s Chardonnay and Pinot that has transformed over the years. “When you...

    Read more

  • Spinifex
    Spinifex
    Spinifex’s portfolio is stacked with quality, yet two wines play a particularly signifi...
    Spinifex’s portfolio is stacked with quality, yet two wines play a particularly significant role in Pete and Magali’s story. Indigene has been a co...

    Read more

  • Bernard Defaix: The Director’s Cut
    Bernard Defaix: The Director’s Cut
    Today, we offer a new tranche of Defaix’s cracking 2022 wines, plus the first arrivals ...
    Today, we offer a new tranche of Defaix’s cracking 2022 wines, plus the first arrivals from 2023. The latest ‘22s include the Côte de Léchet Réserv...

    Read more

  • Pyramid Valley
    Pyramid Valley
    A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of meeting with Pyramid Valley winemaker, Huw Kinc...
    A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of meeting with Pyramid Valley winemaker, Huw Kinch. Not only is Kinch a deeply knowledgeable guy―as the Frenc...

    Read more

  • Thomas Wines
    Thomas Wines
    With spring comes Semillon. The 2024 season went by in a flash, and the wines are rarin...
    With spring comes Semillon. The 2024 season went by in a flash, and the wines are raring to go. Andrew Thomas can't recall an earlier harvest in hi...

    Read more

  • Robert Weil
    Robert Weil
    Like Italy and France, Germany has more than its fair share of revered historic hillsid...
    Like Italy and France, Germany has more than its fair share of revered historic hillside vineyards. Few of these can match the history and majesty ...

    Read more

  • Quealy: New Release Pinots
    Quealy: New Release Pinots
    “2023 will be remembered as one of those great vintages,” says Tom McCarthy. “It was an...
    “2023 will be remembered as one of those great vintages,” says Tom McCarthy. “It was an exceptional year with perfect ripening conditions—there jus...

    Read more

  • Swinney
    Swinney
    Each year, the team behind this virtuoso label seems to find a new gear, another one pe...
    Each year, the team behind this virtuoso label seems to find a new gear, another one per cent, another nugget of wisdom acquired from experience. S...

    Read more

  • Noval and Nacional
    Noval and Nacional
    The Latin saying that Bacchus loves the hills—Bacchus Amat Colles—is hardly more approp...
    The Latin saying that Bacchus loves the hills—Bacchus Amat Colles—is hardly more appropriate than when discussing the Douro highlands, not to menti...

    Read more

View All Offers

More Content

Read more about this producer
Welcome