What have you been drinking from the Mâconnais?

[Howard_Cooper]

I was asked to start this thread in the Côte Chalonnaise thread. Great idea, but I have not drunk any wines from the Mâconnais lately, so you guys will have to contribute the notes for now and I will add some when you “make” me buy some of these and try them based on your notes.

[Phil_T_r_o_t_t_e_r]

Since I am the one who hinted at this and Howard picked up the ball (thanks!), I’ll throw a few TNs in there:

After I decided not to buy any Chagnoleau this time around (purchased some Badenhorst single vineyard Chenins instead), I saw the Pouilly-Fuissé Pastoral 2017 on a restaurant’s wine list last night. I had to try it. It’s pretty much a beast. The nose is showing a beautiful array of ripe fruits (white peach and some exotic), chalk, some sweet florals, butter and green almonds. It’s a deep and complex nose. A little intoxicating. The mouthfeel is dense throughout (ripe fruits and spices) with a very long finish. There is enough minerality and structuring acidity to keep it all in check but it’s a balancing act. Right now this is a wine that screams for food and with the meal (cavatellis with mussels and a sweet chili sauce followed by veal with gnocchis, chanterelles and creamed corn), this was a hit. I’d love to revisit this with 5 more years under it’s belt. I probably should have pounced on that 6-pack offer…

2018 Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau Mâcon-Villages Clos Saint Pancras: Good tension, very mineral (slight reduction?) but with nice texture. White orchard fruits (mostly pear), very discreet oak. Enjoyable and fresh.

2019 Gérald Talmard Mâcon-Uchizy: Did not like. I found the nose too perfumed and the palate lacked complexity and depth. Not my cup of tea.

2017 Olivier Merlin Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse Blanc: My only TN on this is: “Good QPR. Buy again.”. Bad TN but I guess decent wine.

2012 Château de La Greffiere Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse Les Ronzettes: This can age really well. Too bad this was my last one. The notes from élevage that were quite prominent when it was younger toned down; you still get some of it on the nose but the palate has integrated. It now shows good balance between the tension and roundness. Green apple with a touch of minerality and just a tad of vanilla cream on the finish. I like it. (TN from 2019)

2014 Dominique Cornin Pouilly-Fuissé: Premox alert on those (2 out of 4). But when they are not poxed, they are good. The entry is all about acidity but then the flavours develop and it shows nice chewiness. Citrus, pear, spices and some white flowers. It finishes nicely on riper fruits and a touch of salinity. (TN from 2018)

2010 Jean Rijckaert Pouilly-Fuissé La Roche Vieilles Vignes: Complex nose: apple, wood spices, white lily and something almost honeyed to it (raisins?). The palate is quite full with enough acidity to keep it fresh and with good length. There is no denying the wood here but it still makes for a nice ensemble. (TN from 2016)

[Dennis_Atick]

1998 Domaine Guillemot-Michel Mâcon-Villages Quintaine - excellent aged Chardonnay

2017 Domaine Robert-Denogent Saint Véran Les Pommards Vieilles Vignes - still wound up, good potential (buy it)

2018 Jean-Jacques Vincent Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée Marie-Antoinette Vincent - meh. Spend a little more and get Ferret (see below)

2017 J.A. Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé - we have a winner -wonderful stuff- punches above its class and pay grade (buy buy buy)

[M.Kaplan]

2015 Daniel & Julien Barraud Pouilly-Fuissé Alliance Vieilles Vignes
2015 Guffens-Heynen Pouilly-Fuissé Premier Jus des Hauts des Vignes
And always, various vintages of Thevenet’s wonderful Domaine de la Bongran and Domaine de Roally.

[crickey]

2017 Pierre Vessigaud Pouilly-Fuissé Vers Pouilly

• 2017 Pierre Vessigaud Pouilly-Fuissé Vers Pouilly - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé (8/13/2021)
  Tasty chardonnay. Green apples and pear. Medium body with decent texture and grip. Pretty much medium everything: nothing overdone or underdone. Charming overall.

Posted from CellarTracker

[Ashley_Bair]

2019 Domaine Michel Cheveau Mâcon-Chaintré Le Clos was really nice a couple of months ago. Actually, it tasted best on the third day that it was open.

[Nathan_Smyth]

Does anyone here have any experience with Andre Bonhomme?

We have a very small stash of Bonhomme, but haven’t yet gotten up the courage to open any of them.

I’m wondering what they’ll taste like.

[My experience is that everyone now is doing some sort of manipulatory cheat-fu along the lines of stirring-of-the-lees, and that most Whites these days need a few years of cellar time for the cheat-fu to burn off, so that the Chardonnay can start expressing itself.]

[DanielP]

2018 D-J Meix Cadot VV was delicious this Spring but still could use a lot more time to flesh out and show its stuff.


Oops, just re-read the thread title… Maconnais, not chalonnaise

[Sean_Corbett]

Lafon Vire-Clesse and Thibert Mâcon-Verzé / Vignes Blanches.

The tropical side of chard done right.

[William_Kelley]

Does anyone here have any experience with Andre Bonhomme?

We have a very small stash of Bonhomme, but haven’t yet gotten up the courage to open any of them.

I’m wondering what they’ll taste like.

[My experience is that everyone now is doing some sort of manipulatory cheat-fu along the lines of stirring-of-the-lees, and that most Whites these days need a few years of cellar time for the cheat-fu to burn off, so that the Chardonnay can start expressing itself.]

Bonhomme is pretty typical Viré-Clessé: slightly musky aromas (there is a lot of so-called muscaté selections of Chardonnay, which are aromatic [think hints of Viognier], in this part of the Mâconnais—and elsewhere for that matter), and quite a glossy, textural, muscular profile. A few of the smaller bottlings see some oak, mostly old, but for the most part vinification is in tank here (as for the vast majority of the wines of the AOC).

[Kris_Patten]

Got my wife’s family to adopt Jadot Macon-Villages as the house white and Pouilly-Fuisse as the fancy pour. Easy drinking and offers a lot more than many domestic Chards they were drinking.

Personally have had a few J.A. Ferret 2014s lately, still painfully young with hints of starting to show more fruits than they were a year ago.

Love this thread for ideas.

[Pat_Martin]

Had some terrific ones this summer, all based on Gilman recommendations which were spot on:

2018 Pascal Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes
2018 Jacques Saumaize St-Véran Poncetys
2018 Guerrin Sur la Roche Pouilly-Fuissé
2018 Jacques Saumaize Pouilly-Fuissé Les Courtelongs

Tried a bottle of each and loaded up afterwards on all but the Courtelongs which was just a touch too ripe. The Guerrin in particular was terrific.

[Nathan_Smyth]

…slightly musky aromas (there is a lot of so-called muscaté selections of Chardonnay, which are aromatic [think hints of Viognier], in this part of the Mâconnais—and elsewhere for that matter), and quite a glossy, textural, muscular profile. A few of the smaller bottlings see some oak, mostly old, but for the most part vinification is in tank here (as for the vast majority of the wines of the AOC).

Thanks!!!

That definitely makes it sound [to my ear] like a Chardonnay which could use some cellar time.

[William_Kelley]

…slightly musky aromas (there is a lot of so-called muscaté selections of Chardonnay, which are aromatic [think hints of Viognier], in this part of the Mâconnais—and elsewhere for that matter), and quite a glossy, textural, muscular profile. A few of the smaller bottlings see some oak, mostly old, but for the most part vinification is in tank here (as for the vast majority of the wines of the AOC).

Thanks!!!

That definitely makes it sound [to my ear] like a Chardonnay which could use some cellar time.

I’d say age 5-15 is generally a good moment for these. Producers such as Guillemot-Michel and Thevenet can go quite a bit further: 1989 Bongran from my cellar, for example, is still very youthful.

[Jim_Stewart]

Drouhin: Macon Villages, St Veran, Pouilly-Fuisse in order of drinking pleasure for me. The St Veran is consistently good to very good and might be the QPR champ of the three.

[Sean_S_y_d_n_e_y]

Guillemot-Michel and, for the first time, Jules Desjourneys Pouilly-Fuissé and Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays. All fantastic.

[Danius_Barzdukas]

Thanks for this thread. I had the 2015 Louis Jadot Bouzeron (Domaine Gagey) the other night that was outstanding, like a burst of energy and flavor in the mouth. I know there are a few other well known Bouzeron producers, such as Villains and Ramonet, but it was so good that I was curious if there were others that are good as well.

[Dav3_Dyr0ff]

For delicious value, I’ve enjoyed both the Drouhin and Auvigue “Moulin du Pont” Saint-Vérans. Have had the 2014 of each within the last year or so, and really enjoyed them. Have bought some in subsequent vintages based on those showings. Both can be found sub-$20, IIRC.

[JT_Ng]

2015 Maison Valette Pouilly-Fuisse
2017 Maison Valette Et Pourtant
2019 Jessica Litaud Pouilly-Fuisse “La Simplexite”

All excellent, the last needed a few days in bottle to open up fully.

[Thomas_Keim]

I drink a lot of Macon - my two current go-to’s -

Henri Perrusset - The Macon-Villages and the Macon-Farges Old Vines -

Jean Manciat - Macon-Charnay (A long, long, long time favorite of mine)