Pouilly-Fuisse is the appellation for the finest white wines of southern Burgundy's Maconnais district. They are produced exclusively from Chardonnay grapes grown in the communes of Chaintre, Fuisse, Solutre-Pouilly and Vergisson.
The Pouilly-Fuisse appellation officially dates back to September 1936, although the boundaries were drawn up as early as December 1922. It currently covers around 2000 acres (800ha) of hillside vineyards, planted on limestone-rich clay soils over a granitic base. The 1640-ft (500-m) limestone escarpment known as the Roche de Solutre is located at the heart of the appellation's vine-growing area and towers over the vineyards below.
The Pouilly Fuisse title on a wine label may be completed by the name of the specific vineyard where the grapes were grown. The most commonly cited are La Roche, Les Vignes Blanches, Aux Chailloux and Les Crays. There is no Premier Cru system within the appellation, so quality is indicated through the reputations of producers and their vineyards.
The typical Pouilly-Fuisse wine is full-bodied, ripe and relatively elegant, with the best examples rivaling the finer wines of the Cote de Beaune.
