VIRÉ-CLESSÉ
2021 Les Raspillères Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau
| Grapes | Chardonnay |
| Colour | White |
| Origin | France, Burgundy |
| District | Mâconnais |
| Village | Viré-Clessé |
| ABV | 12.5% |
These vines were planted in 2005, as the site had been abandoned as a vineyard generations before. With a 30 degree slope, just a thin dusting of soil sitting on top of hard limestone and a due east exposure - you can see why those old Gamay growers felt it was just not worth it. For Frantz though this is a thrilling site. Cool and slow to ripen - there is always a wonderful intensity to the juice, and this is very pronounced in 2021. Wonderfully concentrated. However this is not all 'steel and chalk' in the mouth - there is a wonderful florality too - a delicate high toned rose inflected breeziness that counters the deep cool fruit and the bright lime juice zip. Not as uncompromising as his Montchanin - but this is classic Chagnoleau - bright and driven and pure - with real charm. Usually Frantz harvests 25HL from this parcel - in 2021 its just 5HL. The élevage had to be done in 2 smaller Stockinger barrels one of 500l and 1 regular 'piece'.
Alternatively, we may well have some bottles in one of our shops - why not give us a call on 0207 244 0522 or send an email to: sales@leaandsandeman.co.uk.
Or, check the RELATED PRODUCTS below for different vintages or wines of a similar style.
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.
Macon Villages Le Clos Saint Pancras : 3.55 ha
These vines were planted in 2000. Frantz uses a little bit of new wood - 10%. Élevage in demi-muids. This is the most northerly plot he works and it is high (350m) - facing east and made up of mineral, stony soil.
Viré Clessé Les Raspillères : 0.73 ha
Planted in 2005. A 30% slope and poor soil, thin at the top. Originally planted with Gamay, it was abandoned after phylloxera, then brought back from being scrubland by a forester who was passionate about wine and who realised it had once been a vineyard.
St Véran Prélude : 2.3 ha
Poor, calcareous soils. 15% new wood in demi-muids (500l barrels). 45 year old vines in several plots - the earliest ripening.
St Véran la Roche : 0.42 ha
70 year old vines at 200m in Chasselas, on marl, in mid-slope. Some is aged in demi-muids, but mostly it's in barrel with 10% new wood.
St Véran à La Côte : 0.25 ha
The highest vineyard of the domaine at 400m, on red earth, in Chasselas. Aged in demi-muids with no new wood.
St Véran La Fournaise : 0.21ha
All aged in demi-muids with no new wood. The whitest and most mineral soil they have.
Pouilly Fuissé Pastoral : 0.45 ha
Pouilly Fuissé Madrigal : 0.25 ha
From Vergisson, (mostly 'en Carmentrant') and all aged in barrel, but no new wood even if some are recent.
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RELATED PRODUCTS
2019 VIRÉ-CLESSÉ Sélection EJ Thévenet Domaine de la Bon Gran
Mâconnais Burgundy France 14.5% White
Chardonnay.
The 2019 Viré-Clessé had just been racked on my visit, therefore there was so much gas in this wine, as expected. Nevertheless, there is already fine balance and harmony, a keen line of acidity with a lovel...(read more)
Neal Martin, www.vinous.com
2022 VIRÉ-CLESSÉ Les Raspillères Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau
Mâconnais Burgundy France 13% White
Chardonnay.
The 2022 Viré-Clessé Les Raspillères comes from east-facing vines high in altitude on active limestone soils picked at the harvest's end. This cuvée was more challenging to read, having been t...(read more)
Neal Martin, www.vinous.comORDER COLLECT
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