Domaine Seguin-Manuel Pouilly-Vinzelles Vieilles Vignes 2023
Drink it now or cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant. Founded in Savigny-les-Beaune in 1824, the Domaine Seguin-Manuel was acquired by Thibaut Marion in 2004. Today, the estate, now headquartered in Beaune, the capital of Burgundy, extends over approximately 8.5 hectares of organically farmed vineyards, certified since 2015. The Chardonnay grapes are harvested from a vineyard located in the Mâconnais region, bordering Pouilly-Fuissé and featuring the same soil type, composed of marl and limestone dating back to the Jurassic. Here, the vines enjoy a good slope and east-facing exposure. After harvesting and fermentation in barrels, the wine rests on the lees for a year in oak barrels, as is customary for the estate's white wines. Pouilly-Vinzelles Vieilles Vignes is a lively and fresh wine with a brilliant pale golden color and an aromatic profile that reveals fruity notes of peach, apricot, and pear interspersed with woody hints. On the palate, it is juicy and crisp, with a saline edge typical of its terroir. It has mouthwatering acidity and a long, elegant finish with light toasted notes. It is a youthful yet characterful wine that makes an excellent aperitif, but can also be enjoyed with seafood, fish, vegetable tempura or anchovy pizza.
Louis Bouillot Perle d'Ivoire Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs
Cellar for up to 6 years. Serve chilled. This striking Cremant de Bourgogne is named Perle d’Ivoire or “Pearl of Ivory” as a nod to the fact that it is made only from Chardonnay and Aligoté grapes. The Louis Bouillot house carefully sources their grapes from two distinct areas of Burgundy which offer very different grapegrowing conditions. Part of the grapes come from the sunny Mâconnais in the south where the climate produces richer, riper Chardonnay grapes, while the remainder is from the Yonne and Chatillonnais which have a crisper and fresher character. By blending together these two styles of Chardonany, the house is able to produce a perfectly balanced Cremant de Bourgogne which combines fresh citrus and vibrant acidity with richer tropical fruit flavours. The grapes are fermented according to the traditional method which is also used for Champagnes and the wine is then matured in the bottle on the lees for 18 months. This extended ageing period adds a softer, creamy texture and hints of fresh pastries and nuts. The rich flavour profile and bright bubbles in this wine make it an excellent option for celebrations and aperitifs, but it is also a gastronomic wine which can pair with anything from sushi, oysters, grilled fish, or asparagus dishes.
Louis Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet 2023
Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. No need to decant, but best to open it half an hour before service. Located in Burgundy, Maison Louis Jadot was founded in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot. Today, the company, one of the most renowned in the region, owns approximately 270 hectares (690 acres) of vineyards and has also acquired several estates in the Mâconnais region and the Cadus cooperage. Louis Jadot's Chassagne-Montrachet is made with Chardonnay grapes from the prestigious Côte des Blancs appellation, south of the Côte de Beaune. After manual harvesting and gentle pressing, fermentation takes place in oak barrels produced by the Cadus cooperage (a third of which are new), and the finished wine then ages in barrel for approximately 15 months before bottling. The result is a robust and direct wine that reflects the full diversity of Burgundy's terroir. In the glass, the wine reveals a clear straw-yellow color and an intense aromatic profile with notes of apple and peach and toasted notes of brioche and bread crust. On the palate, it is round, generous, complex, and elegant, with a pronounced minerality and good structure. The acidity is well-balanced, and the finish is long and delicately toasted. When paired with food it’s extremely versatile: it's excellent with sushi and lobster, salmon and frog legs, Pad Thai and Burgundy style snails.
Domaine Boisson Macon Villages 2023
Drink it now or cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant but best to open it half an hour before service. Located in Meursault in the Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, Domaine Boisson was founded by Bernard Boisson and his wife in the 1980s. Over the years, the estate acquired several vineyards, mainly located around Meursault. When Bernard Boisson retired in 2017, the family estate passed into the hands of his children, Pierre and Anne, who also manage some of the family plots separately. The Chardonnay grapes for this Mâcon-Villages are selected from the Mâconnais mountains, a group of hills separated by parallel faults, particularly suited to quality viticulture. Here, the clay-limestone soils and a moderate continental climate with semi-Mediterranean influences favor the production of fresh, lively, and mineral wines. In the glass, the wine presents an elegant and fresh character, characterized by a brilliant straw-yellow color and golden highlights. Its aromatic profile is broad and fragrant, with fruity notes of citrus, white fruit, and peach, as well as floral hints of acacia and rose. On the palate, it is mineral, supple, and balanced. It has good fruit concentration and a well-integrated acidity. It's a youthful, easy-drinking wine that pairs beautifully with oysters and all seafood, but also makes a delicious aperitif on its own.
Domaine d'Ardhuy Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022
Drink it now or cellar for up to 8 years. No need to decant. Founded in the late 1940s by Gabriel Liogier d’Ardhuy and his wife Eliane, Domaine d'Ardhuy is a family-run winery in Burgundy that extends over approximately 40 hectares of vineyards, including 125 parcels in six grands crus and fifteen 1er crus, spread from Puligny-Montrachet to Gevrey-Chambertin. Since 2016, the winery has been managed by winemaker Vincent Bottreau. The grapes for the Bourgogne Chardonnay come from plots located mainly in the Mâconnais in La Roche-Vineuse. The vines, which have an average age of 15 years, rest their roots on varied soils (clay-limestone, clay-silt, and flint). This variety of terroirs guarantees the production of a balanced and harmonious wine. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in steel tanks. The wine reveals a clear and brilliant color with light golden tones. Its aromatic profile is fresh and fragrant with notes of citrus and green apple, and hints of white flowers and acacia. On the palate, it is lively and elegant, smooth and slender with hints of fresh fruit and a well-balanced acidity. It is soft and harmonious and has a long and refreshing finish. It is excellent with poultry, and a must-try with snails.
Louis Jadot Cote de Beaune-Villages 2023
Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant, but best to open it half an hour before service. Founded in 1859, Maison Louis Jadot is one of the most prestigious wineries in Burgundy. Its vineyards cover approximately 270 hectares, and the company also purchases grapes from other winemakers. Maison Jadot also owns several estates in the Mâconnais (Domaine Ferret and Château des Jacques) and a cooperage called Cadus, which produces its own oak barrels according to the Burgundian tradition. Côte de Beaune Villages is a blend of Pinot Noir grapes from several plots in the villages of Chorey les Beaune, Ladoix Serrigny, Maranges, and Santenay. After manual harvesting and grape selection, maceration lasts 3-4 weeks. Fermentation takes place in vats, and the finished wine ages for approximately 1.5 years in barrels (one-third new). The result is an elegant wine, qualitatively a compromise between regional and Cru wines, and a fine expression of the character of Burgundy reds. In the glass, the wine reveals a clear and brilliant cherry-red color. Its aromatic profile exudes fruity notes of cherry and raspberry, accompanied by hints of underbrush and wood. On the palate, it has good structure, fine, velvety tannins, and a distinct acidity. It is fruity and elegant with a long finish that recalls earthy notes. It is excellent with Coq au Vin and duck breast, or with medium-aged hard cheeses.
Domaine Merlin Macon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes 2022
Drink it now or cellar for up to 15 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour. Corinne and Olivier Merlin founded Domaine Merlin in the late 1980s, taking over an old winery in La Roche Vineuse. Today, the company extends over approximately 15 hectares of vineyards distributed in the Mâconnais and Moulin à Vent appellations. The vineyards are worked manually according to the fundamental principles of good viticulture. In the cellar, traditional practices are preferred. Since 2017, their sons Paul and Theo have joined their parents to carry on the company philosophy and the family spirit of the estate. Macon Villages Vieilles Vignes is made with Chardonnay grapes from four different parcels of vines that have an average age of approximately 65 years (the oldest were planted in the 1920s). The harvest is manual and after a light pressing, fermentation takes place in barriques (10% new). The finished wine is aged for a year in barrique. The result is a complex and deep wine, with surprising depth and elegance for a Macon. The old vines ensure the production of a wine of great concentration, rich and balanced. The nose reveals a ripe and buttery aromatic profile with notes of yellow fruit and hints of minerality and light toastiness. On the palate, it has a creamy texture. It is soft and smooth with a bright acidity that balances the fruity sweetness. The finish is long and recalls delicate oak notes. Excellent with fried scallops, crab bisque, and herb-roasted chicken.