| Producer | Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau |
| Country | France |
| Region | Burgundy |
| Subregion | Macon Villages |
| Varietal | Chardonnay |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 16093 |
| Size | 750ml |
Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau is a small estate run by two talented winemakers, Frantz Chagnoleau and his wife Caroline Gon (winemaker at Héritiers du Comte Lafon). Frantz has a degree in Oenology and cut his teeth working for Olivier Merlin in the Mâconnais. Caroline holds two degrees in agricultural engineering and oenology; she worked at Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley before returning to France to work with Dominique Lafon as head winemaker for Héritiers du Comte Lafon. The relationship with Dominque as a friend and mentor has had a great influence on the couple, which is evident in a lineup of pure, terroir driven Mâconnais wines.
Since 2013 all of the vineyards have been certified organic. As with Lafon, this dynamic duo believe in minimal intervention, which includes the use of only indigenous yeast, as the best way to express the nuances of each unique terroir. Aging is done in mostly large, used French oak, harvest is done completely by hand on a plot by plot basis, allowing each vine to achieve the appropriate balance of sugar and acidity before being picked. This dynamic duo is one of the most talented teams in all of Burgundy, farming the old-fashioned way and making micro-quantities of single vineyard White Burgundy from some of the finest Chardonnay terroir in the world.
The 2022 Mâcon-Villages Clos Saint-Pancras, which had just been bottled, comes from 3.55 hectares of east-facing vines on soils akin to Clessé. Matured in foudres for nine months with SO2 added after malo and before bottling. It has a very elegant and precise bouquet, which offers subtle leesy scents. The palate is underpinned by a fine line of acidity, concentrated yet tensile, with fresh pear and lemon thyme notes on the finish. As good a Mâcon-Villages, you will find any year.
Sign up for the Meritage Wine Market newsletter and be among the first to know about upcoming specials at the store!
