2023 Château des Quarts Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "Clos des Quarts" Monopole Aux Quarts

The 2023 Château des Quarts Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru "Clos des Quarts" Monopole Aux Quarts is one of Burgundy's rarest Chardonnays, a true monopole from a two-hectare parcel in Chaintré entirely enclosed by centuries-old stone walls. Founded in 2011 by Olivier Merlin and Dominique Lafon, Château des Quarts restored a forgotten historic terroir to Premier Cru status starting with the 2020 vintage. The name "quart" likely references the plot's historic standing as the finest quarter of the vineyard, once reserved for local nobility. Olivier Merlin spent decades championing the Mâconnais before partnering with Dominique Lafon, whose work in the Côte de Beaune defined modern white Burgundy. The Clos des Quarts sits in the southernmost village of the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation on clay-limestone soils rich in crinoidal limestone, with vines planted in 1917 at high density. Whole-bunch pressing preserves delicate aromatics, then fermentation and eighteen months of aging in French oak barrels with only a single racking to keep the wine on its fine lees. The approach prioritizes texture and precision over power. The 2023 vintage shows white-fleshed fruit and citrus on the nose, opening to a palate of crushed stone, saline minerality, and real tension. The finish is long and persistent, with the kind of energy that defines cool-climate Chardonnay at its best. Pair it with oysters, roast chicken with tarragon, or grilled white fish with herb butter. This is a bottle for white Burgundy collectors who want something beyond the usual Côte de Beaune sites, or for anyone curious what a monopole from two of the region's most thoughtful producers tastes like. It drinks well now but will reward a few years in a cool cellar. In stock at Off Premise in Chicago.