Saint-Véran «Vieilles Vignes de Saint-Claude»

Verget produces four different wines from Saint-Véran, and we were particularly impressed by the wine from the old vines of Saint Claude. None of the other wines delivered quite like Saint-Claude, which grows in a wonderfully south-facing vineyard on loamy soil. The fact that the two, Jean-Marie and Julien, are two slightly crazy guys – in a positive sense – is proven by that they only use the first pressing, the “Première Jus,” for this wine and age it in horizontal chrome steel tanks—horizontal because this increases the surface area of the yeast that settles on the bottom of the tank, allowing a small, delicate reduction to develop, which we—and I hope you too—love so much. Nevertheless, a Saint-Véran, including this one, does not live on reduction alone, no, because the exoticism of a Saint-Véran must be given space, and it is. And how! Wonderful vineyard peach aromas make me tilt my head back and close my eyes, an unmistakable sign that I am enjoying the scent of the wine to the fullest. Of course, the wine has much more to offer than just peach: a hint of pear, to stay with the fruits for now, before butter, or rather brioche, emerges. Above all, there is a very pretty floral scent that adds that certain something. The mouthfeel could be described as properly dense yet fresh, almost crisp. This is a wine that makes a powerful impression. It is a fresh, extremely lively wine with a wonderfully mineral and exceptionally long finish that once again makes my tongue click, as all great wines do.