Ferret

History of Domaine J.A. Ferret

It all began in Fuissé in 1840, with a passion for wine shared by Jean-Alfred Ferret, a schoolteacher, and his son Antoine, a dentist. Alongside their professions, both tended a few small vineyard plots on the village slopes. The estate truly came into its own in the 20th century under Jeanne Ferret, a visionary figure in the appellation. She carefully identified Fuissé’s most remarkable terroirs and established a celebrated internal classification distinguishing Tête de Cru from Cuvées Hors Classe. She also introduced bottling at the estate early on, against the prevailing practices of the time. Her daughter Colette continued this work with a focus on élevage, further refining the house style.

This female lineage, which lasted nearly 180 years, brought the wines of Fuissé to prominence far beyond France and made a lasting contribution to the appellation’s reputation. It was in this same spirit that Maison Louis Jadot acquired the 18-hectare property in 2008, with a firm commitment to preserving the estate’s unique identity rather than diluting it. Audrey Braccini then oversaw winemaking for some 15 years, producing vintages regularly praised by international critics. Since 2023, winemaker Clément Robinet has carried on this historic expertise, combining tradition with technical precision. The classification of several Pouilly-Fuissé climats as premiers crus, beginning with the 2020 vintage, provided scientific confirmation of Jeanne Ferret’s insights into these terroirs.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine J.A. Ferret

The vineyard comprises around 19 hectares in the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation, plus one hectare spread across Saint-Véran, Mâcon-Fuissé and Mâcon-Solutré. Of all Burgundy’s appellations, Pouilly-Fuissé is perhaps the most geologically varied, with more pronounced faults and dips than elsewhere and particularly sharp changes in soil. Fuissé has the appellation’s broadest range of rock types, and the estate, with plots throughout this prized setting, is one of its finest ambassadors.

The soils may be thin, formed from hard limestone sometimes containing chert, or more clay-rich, derived from marl, schist or volcano-sedimentary sandstone. More than 330 million years separate the oldest bedrock from the lacustrine limestone exposed east of the Beauregard plateau. This mosaic explains the strikingly different character of the various cuvées. The estate tends each vineyard according to its particular needs, plowing some and maintaining grass cover in others. The vines and surrounding wildlife are closely monitored, while strips of flowers provide shelter and food for beneficial insects. The entire vineyard has been certified organic since 2023.

Winemaking at Domaine J.A. Ferret

Hand-harvesting has always been the rule at the estate. It begins at first light and ends early in the morning so the sun’s rays do not compromise the quality of the freshly picked grapes. Placed in small crates, the bunches quickly reach the winery, where they wait in cool, dark conditions before pressing. At the press, the grapes are lightly crushed and the stems retained: crushing allows gentle pressing, while the whole bunches ensure optimal drainage. The first juice and final pressings are carefully monitored before the must flows into tanks by gravity, without rough handling. Settling is carried out with almost pastry-chef precision, essential to getting fermentation off to a good start.

Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels made from wood sourced from the forests of Nevers and Tronçais. Once fermentation has begun, the wine is transferred into barrels by gravity as well. Bâtonnage then punctuates the following weeks and months. Aging takes place in two stages: first, nearly a year in barrels, generally 25% new oak and 75% barrels used for one to three previous vintages; then the lots are blended in stainless steel tanks on fine lees for up to eight months. This two-stage aging gives the wines texture, complexity and freshness. True to its principles, the estate brings a small mobile bottling unit into its cellars to avoid unnecessary movement, extra hoses or forceful pumping.

The Cuvées of Domaine J.A. Ferret

Mâcon-Solutré: sourced from plots in the village of Solutré-Pouilly, at the foot of the famous rock, this Chardonnay emphasizes freshness and approachability. Vinified to preserve its fruit, it offers notes of citrus and white flowers, a clean palate and a refreshing finish. A fine introduction to the estate’s wines.

Mâcon-Fuissé: produced in Fuissé itself, this Mâcon benefits from the village’s limestone finesse. Rounder and riper than the Mâcon-Solutré, it charms with aromas of white fruit, a supple texture and a fresh finish. An immediately enjoyable wine, precise and generous.

Saint-Véran: this neighboring appellation, with soils combining clay and limestone, gives the estate an elegant white wine with lively tension. The nose reveals lemon, pear and a floral hint, while the palate combines vibrant fruit with an approachable minerality. An excellent match for fish and goat cheese.

Pouilly-Fuissé: the village cuvée, a blend of the best plots across the Fuissé amphitheater, on clay and limestone soils, with vines aged ten to 35 years. Each plot is vinified separately to preserve the delicacy of the fruit, with some of the wine fermented in tanks and the rest in barrels. The result delights with its balance, freshness and clear expression of terroir.

Pouilly-Fuissé “Autour de la Roche”: a blend of plots with varied soils around the Roche de Vergisson. This is the estate’s most distinctly Vergisson cuvée: dense, mineral and profound, with uncompromising linearity. Its precise expression of marl and limestone lends it a generous texture, aromatic subtlety and savory depth reminiscent of the great crus of the Côte de Beaune.

Pouilly-Fuissé “Sous Vergisson”: a historic estate cuvée from Vergisson’s best terroirs, vinified mainly in enamel-lined tanks, with a portion in used barrels. It offered a mineral nose and a taut, almost crystalline palate, with fresh almond and white fruit on the finish. It has since been incorporated into the current Autour de la Roche cuvée.

Pouilly-Fuissé “Autour de Fuissé”: the counterpart to the preceding cuvée, this historic blend brought together Fuissé’s finest vines. It set the warmth and breadth characteristic of Fuissé’s terroir against the directness and tension of Vergisson wines, creating a play of contrasts dear to the estate.

Tête de Cru “Le Clos” or “Clos de Jeanne”: renamed in tribute to Jeanne Ferret, this cuvée comes from a single, enclosed 0.69-hectare plot, the estate’s smallest, beside the family home near the village church. Gently sloping and east-facing, with deep, stone-free silty clay soil, it contains vines aged 35 and over 50 years. Classified as premier cru within the Les Perrières climat since 2020, it yields a generous, charming wine with citrus and pastry notes, remarkable finesse and linearity.

Tête de Cru “Clos des Prouges”: another emblematic cuvée from Jeanne Ferret’s classification. It impresses with its purity and density, with perfectly integrated oak. Its aromas are floral and sensual: white flowers, fresh bay leaf and dill mingle with honey, nougat, white fruit cream and ripe melon, while apricot and yellow plum add a voluptuous dimension. It benefits greatly from five to seven years of aging.

Tête de Cru “Les Perrières”: a veritable mineral powerhouse, this premier cru climat produces one of the estate’s most structured wines. The nose combines flint, water flowers, quince, citrus and creamy, toasted notes, followed by a crisp, taut palate of yellow peach, apricot, Nashi pear, toasted hazelnut and acacia honey. Its exceptionally precise chalky structure gives it excellent aging potential.

Cuvée Hors Classe “Les Ménétrières”: at the top of the estate’s hierarchy, this premier cru climat undoubtedly ranks among the greats. Powerful, dense and structured, it embraces a distinctly Burgundian buttery richness alongside the lusciousness of fully ripe white and yellow fruit. The finesse of limestone and density of clay come together beautifully in a wine of structure and refinement that enthusiasts readily compare with the finest crus of Puligny and Chassagne-Montrachet.

Cuvée Hors Classe “Tournant de Pouilly”: the estate’s ultimate flagship wine, from gently sloping, northeast-facing terroir planted by Jean-Alfred Ferret in 1955, 1963 and 1964, with vines averaging more than 60 years of age. Fermentation and the first stage of aging take place over ten months in oak barrels, 25% of them new, followed by nine months on the lees in stainless steel tanks. Initially reserved, it needs air before revealing water flowers, primrose, almond, crushed stone, fresh milk, churned butter, poached pear and honeyed apple. Generous, intense and profound, it has the aura of a grand cru and exceptional aging potential, capable of lasting several decades.