Mâcon La Roche Vineuse, Vieilles Vignes 2022, Normand

Full-Bodied White Burgundy Wine from Domaine Normand

A mini Meursault but from the south of Burgundy. Oaked Chardonnay. Powerful, rich, southern, creamy contours with an underlying mineral freshness. Thirst-quenching fresh lime, pineapple, red and green apples, lemon peel, orange, salt, butter, mint, nuts, brioche, cardamom, vanilla, and wax. A sense of luxury without feeling heavy or cumbersome like a Meursault. Drink this wine preferably from a large glass and definitely not too cold. That way, the aromas of cardamom and apple pie & brioche will come forward beautifully. The fresh fruit ensures that this wine remains sufficiently refreshing at temperature.

This wine is a lot more serious than its peers due to its powerful backbone. This style is usually found in the northern part of Burgundy starting at €30 and above. Therefore, this wine is truly a ''Trouvaille''! Grab this Chardonnay offer before you miss out.

Incontournable, unmissable, unavoidable, essential, indispensable. In short, this should not be missing in the wine climate closet of a Burgundy lover.

Handpicked from 70-year-old vines (Vieilles Vignes) and aged for about 12 months on a mix of old (6 years) and new (for 15%) French oak for body and complexity. Since the 2019 vintage, this wine no longer undergoes malolactic fermentation, making the wine feel purer and cleaner. No more lactic yogurt tones, the roundness of this wine is obtained through subtle oak use and ripe fruit from the southern Mâconnais region. This wine is in its final year of organic conversion before it can officially bear the BIO label.

Wine and Food Pairing

Serve with rich fish dishes, sushi, or lobster. But it is obviously also great to enjoy in a better aperitif setting. In short, widely applicable!

Special Features

• 100% Chardonnay, 12 months on a mix of old (6 years) and new (for 15%) French oak
• Note! This 2022 vintage is more thirst-quenching than previous vintages.
• Rich, firm, and fresh fruity. Meursault-like backbone but with more fruit. This vineyard is in organic conversion.
• The wine is grown in the Mâconnais in the hamlet of La Roche Vineuse near Cluny.
• Old vines for an extra rich Chardonnay experience. Vieilles Vignes.

Domaine Normand

Norman muscles with southern flair. Domaine Normand was actually our neighbor when we still had our Bed and Breakfast Maison Mazille. We have closely witnessed their growth. Alain Normand comes from the Loire Valley, but his ancestral home is Normandy, hence his name. This makes him a Norman, a Viking, and true to his form, he is (by French standards) a tall, red-haired man. He met Sylvaine, a Burgundian, at the wine school in Beaune. They began their career by taking over an abandoned vineyard in La Roche-Vineuse with a métayage contract, a common agricultural practice in France where the landlord is paid in wine. Alain Normand now cultivates 35 hectares in La Roche-Vineuse, an ancient village nestled on the steep flank of the enormous limestone escarpment that gives Vineuse its name. This village is perched on the small pass that cuts through the Mâcon hills leading to Cluny, the seat of power of the Benedictine monk order in their medieval heyday. One of their secret weapons is the Burgundy Pinot Noir cuvée Esus, which even convinces non-Pinot Noir lovers with its seductive vanilla tones and warmth. Additionally, their buttery Chardonnays have great backbone and that characteristic crème brûlée vanilla nose. In 2023, their son Thomas joined them on the estate after completing his studies in oenology at the wine school in Beaune – the same school where Sylvaine and Alain studied 30 years earlier.

Mâconnais: The Undiscovered Jewel of Burgundy

The Mâconnais, located in the south of Burgundy, is a region that is often overshadowed by the prestigious vineyards of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Yet this region has attracted much attention in recent years due to the excellent price-quality ratio of its wines. While the more famous areas in Burgundy often command sky-high prices, the Mâconnais offers high-quality wines with a unique character, without putting a heavy burden on the wallet. For many wine lovers discovering Burgundy, the Mâconnais is a surprising find, proving that not all top wines need to come from the expensive corners.

What is Produced in the Mâconnais?

The Mâconnais is especially known for its white wines, primarily made from the Chardonnay grape. The region boasts several appellations, of which Mâcon-Villages, Viré-Clessé, Pouilly-Fuissé, and Saint-Véran are the most prominent. These wines are crisp, fruity, and often characterized by a fine minerality reminiscent of the top wines from northern Burgundy, but with a softer and more accessible style. The wines from the Mâconnais often exhibit a pronounced terroir that subtly varies by village, giving each bottle its own character.

Which Dishes Pair with Mâconnais Wines?

The white Chardonnay wines from the Mâconnais are versatile and pair perfectly with a wide range of dishes. They are an excellent choice with shellfish and seafood such as oysters, shrimp, lobster, and crab. Light fish dishes with subtle herb sauces also work well with these wines. Additionally, they are ideal for pairing with poultry dishes, especially when served with mushrooms or light sauces. For dessert, these wines pair wonderfully with soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert.

The red wines, made from Gamay or Pinot Noir, are lighter in style and pair well with poultry, veal, duck, and chicken. They are less suited for heavy game dishes but pair fantastically with earthy vegetables, mushrooms, root dishes, and risotto. Both types of wines, both white and red, are versatile and can even be served with light desserts.