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.