Mâconnais
We've long championed the wonderful wines from this most beautiful of regions within Burgundy. The charming rolling hills are not just scenic, they also provide an intriguing topography that offers wine-lovers fascinatingly contrasting wines that truly speak of their place. It is somewhat pleasing that, this year, a broader appreciation is falling on the Mâconnais thanks to the recognition of several top sites as 1er Cru vineyards. For our super growers this is a long overdue tip of the hat and will not change the quality of their wines or the incredible efforts they go to in harnessing the very best of their vineyards.
2022 was without doubt hot, with lots of sunshine and not much rain. What they did have fell at critical moments thankfully and with limestone dominating the soils of the best sites, hydric stress never became too problematic. The season started early here with an unusually warm February and, barring some hail in June, remained steadily warm and dry. Harvesting was done early, with our growers starting on the 24th of August. The results are magical and continue to offer incredible value. The crop was not huge, but with a good number of healthy bunches – although, due to the dry summer, the volumes are limited somewhat.
David Porter
Lea & Sandeman Buyer
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Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau
Frantz Chagnoleau and his wife Caroline Gon, who was until 2022 also the winemaker at the Comte Lafon Mâcon operation, are rising stars of the Mâconnais. Together they have a small domaine consisting of 3.5 hectares of Mâcon in a single block in Saint Albain, and several small plots in Viré Clessé, Saint Véran and Pouilly Fuissé, making up 6.8 hectares in total. All the vineyards are organically farmed (Ecocert certified).
Great care is taken at harvest to pick at the optimum moment for sugars, acidity and aromatic precursors, and they will stop the picking between parcels if they think that the ripening is not even across the whole domaine. Grapes are manually picked into 25kg cases, so as to get whole, undamaged grapes to the winery. After careful pressing, a very non-interventionist vinification takes place with natural yeasts in oak foudres.
The wines are kept on the lees to preserve freshness until the beginning of summer, when they are racked and lightly filtered, before bottling before the next harvest, except for some of the top wines which are aged for another six months in tank in order to develop fully. The wines are in a style which is bright and incisive, expressive and pure - and well worth seeking out.
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Domaine Barraud
We still see Daniel Barraud when we visit but today his children Julien and Anaïs are at the helm here. They have vineyards in Vergisson that are mostly high up under the famous rock (Vergisson lies between the two dramatic cliffs of the rocks of Solutré and Vergisson). The vineyards here are significantly higher than those of Fuissé, and are consequently later-ripening, and the wines often have a more solid structure - but they each have their own distinct characters, from the Puligny-like directness of the La Roche to the fat richness of the 'en Buland', via the mineral force of the Crays.
All the wines are made keeping close to the tenets of bio-dynamics - not for the sake of it - but because over the generations experience has taught them that these principles really are the best way forward - as such they only ever bottle on a waning moon. All the wines see some barrel ageing apart from the Chaintré, which is aged in foudre (2/3) and tank.
As Allen Meadows wrote on www.Burghound.com 'I have said this before, but I will say it again: no one makes better wine in the Mâconnais than Barraud. There are a few domaines that produce wines that are sometimes just as good, ... but none of them surpasses the quality he consistently produces. If you aren’t familiar with the wines, you owe it to yourself and your pocketbook to check them out.'
With the 2022 releases this 11 HA domaine is now officially certified organic. Formalising the way they have been working for years.
The Barrauds have four vineyards that have been upgraded to Premier Cru status: 'En France', 'Les Crays', 'Sur la Roche', and la Verchère, although this last one will change its name to 'La Maréchaude' but retaining the parcel name of Verchère too. It's one of those oddities of such classifications that the vineyard which has consistently produced the Barraud's best wine for all the years that we have known them, 'En Buland', is not classified Premier Cru status as it faces north - this is electric in 2022.
2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ Alliance-Vergisson Domaine Barraud
(from three vineyards located in Vergisson and Fuissé). Here too the nose is impossible to read in its present state where lactic elements dominate. The palate impression of the bigger and richer(from three vineyards located in Vergisson and Fuissé). Here too the nose is impossible to read in its present state where lactic elements dominate. The palate impression of the bigger and richer middle weight flavors is also more powerful though not necessarily finer before terminating in a sappy, balanced and lingering finale where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 89-91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 MÂCON CHAINTRÉ Pierres Polies Domaine Barraud
(aged in two-thirds foudre and the remainder in stainless). Restrained aromas of mild reduction and exotic fruit notes are complemented by rich, generously proportioned and succulent flavors that(aged in two-thirds foudre and the remainder in stainless). Restrained aromas of mild reduction and exotic fruit notes are complemented by rich, generously proportioned and succulent flavors that do offer solid persistence if limited depth so 2 to 3 years of keeping would help. With that said, this could easily be enjoyed shortly after release. Drinking range: 2026 - Rating: 86-88 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 MÂCON VERGISSON La Roche Domaine Barraud
(this vineyard abuts the Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard of La Roche). Here the nose is sufficiently reduced to overshadow everything but a suggestion of the essence of apple and poached pear. There is a(this vineyard abuts the Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard of La Roche). Here the nose is sufficiently reduced to overshadow everything but a suggestion of the essence of apple and poached pear. There is a bit more volume to the rich and succulent medium-bodied flavors that possess a rounded mouthfeel while displaying notably better persistence and depth on the clean and dry finish that is shaped by lemon-tinged acidity. This is quite good for what it is and worth considering. Drinking range: 2027 - Rating: 88-91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 SAINT VÉRAN En Crèches Domaine Barraud
(from vines in Davayé). This is also dominated by lactic and secondary fermentation aromas though there is slightly better density to the caressing and suave middle weight flavors that offer(from vines in Davayé). This is also dominated by lactic and secondary fermentation aromas though there is slightly better density to the caressing and suave middle weight flavors that offer slightly better length on the balanced finale. Again, this is tough to read but I suspect that the finished and bottled wine will reasonably merit a score within my proffered range. Drinking range: 2027 - Rating: 87-90 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 SAINT VÉRAN Les Pommards Domaine Barraud
(from vines situated in Davayé, planted in rocky, high limestone content soil which abuts the Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard of Le Pommard on the edge of Vergisson and Solutré). Once again the underlying (from vines situated in Davayé, planted in rocky, high limestone content soil which abuts the Pouilly-Fuissé vineyard of Le Pommard on the edge of Vergisson and Solutré). Once again the underlying fruit is completely dominated by fermentation and lactic aromas that are trimmed in noticeable oak toast. By contrast there is fine richness and verve to the succulent and palate soaking medium-bodied flavors that conclude in a moderately firm compact and serious finale. There is no particular reason that this shouldn’t be good but it is a tough read today. Drinking range: 2027 - Rating: 89-90 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ Les Châtaigniers Domaine Barraud
Happily there is good purity to the nose of exuberantly floral, pear, apple and discreet citrus-inflected aromas. On the palate there is good energy to the delicious medium weight flavors that Happily there is good purity to the nose of exuberantly floral, pear, apple and discreet citrus-inflected aromas. On the palate there is good energy to the delicious medium weight flavors that possess adequate density while delivering reasonably good depth and persistence on the agreeably dry finale that also belies a touch of warmth. This could use better depth so a few years of cellaring are suggested. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 89-91 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ 1er Cru La Maréchaude Clos La Verchère Domaine Daniel Barraud
The nose is again troubled by lactic elements with a similar amount of wood influence. The finer if not quite as rich or power medium weight flavors offer fine length on the moderately austereThe nose is again troubled by lactic elements with a similar amount of wood influence. The finer if not quite as rich or power medium weight flavors offer fine length on the moderately austere finale where a touch of warmth slowly emerges. Drinking range: 2027 - Rating: 89-92 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ 1er Cru Sur la Roche Domaine Barraud
Notes of petrol, ripe white orchard fruit and citrus confit are suffused with generous if not dominant wood influence. There is fine richness to the succulent and caressing, if not super-dense,Notes of petrol, ripe white orchard fruit and citrus confit are suffused with generous if not dominant wood influence. There is fine richness to the succulent and caressing, if not super-dense, middle weight flavors that could also use better depth on the balanced and solidly persistent finale. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 89-92 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ 1er Cru Les Crays Vieilles Vignes Domaine Daniel Barraud
(from 60+ year old vines located in Vergisson). Wood and fermentation aromas are all that can be discerned today. Much more interesting are the bigger and more voluminous medium-bodied flavors (from 60+ year old vines located in Vergisson). Wood and fermentation aromas are all that can be discerned today. Much more interesting are the bigger and more voluminous medium-bodied flavors that possess a sleek mouthfeel along with evident minerality on the balanced and sneaky long finish. This will need to develop better depth to merit the upper end of my projected range but the underlying material appears to be present for that to gradually occur. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 90-92 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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2023 POUILLY FUISSÉ Vieilles Vignes En Buland Domaine Barraud
65+ year old vines near Solutré that face northeast). Here too there is little to appreciate on the nose of wood and secondary fermentation elements. By contrast, there is good vibrancy to the65+ year old vines near Solutré that face northeast). Here too there is little to appreciate on the nose of wood and secondary fermentation elements. By contrast, there is good vibrancy to the delicious, caressing, succulent and focused medium-bodied flavors where the seductive texture also contrasts with the compact, serious and borderline tannic finish that makes clear this is going to need at least some patience. Drinking range: 2028 - Rating: 90-92 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Oct 2024)
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