Burgundy, affordable gems? We certainly think so!

For far too long Burgundy has been out of reach for us mere mortals, to be honest most of it still is, but I’ve been twice since March and on my journeys I’ve tasted with a host of wonderful growers who’s wines have given me immense pleasure & I cant wait to share them with you!

There is nothing that makes me more like a wine tourist than a few days in Burgundy, the famous village names that adorn the most fabled wines are at every turn. The real estate here is some of the most expensive in the world, and the wines reflect that..

Classic renditions of Chardonnay dressed in really expensive oak & Pinot Noir so fine you’d never dare actually drink it… these wines are pipe dreams for most of us, therefore these are not the wines that excite me most, even if I couldn’t resist a picture on the wall at Romanee Conti (above) shameless...

(however, if you have a stash of Coche-Dury or Rousseau lying around? Then call me & we will make an evening of it...)

What did excite me way more than the wines from the Cote De Nuit’s & Cote De Beaune were the far more approachable, honest wines of the Maconnais.

History lesson if you want it, or skip a few paragraphs…

The most southerly region, and the largest of Burgundy, is the Mâconnais. Often thoughs of as “ordinary,” this region is somewhat the “rogue” of the family. During hard times, like the worldwide depression of the 1920s and the two World Wars, this region felt the brunt of the misfortune.

Many of the local growers sold their grapes to co-operatives to survive. By the 1960s and 1970s, tastes began to change, and wine consumption began to drop. The growers realised they needed to improve their wines to compete. Fruit quality standards were set, and many younger growers, inheriting the family vineyards, decided to make their own wines.

Located between the town of Tournus and Saint-Véran, it lies at the crossroads between Northern and Southern France. The change is striking; as you travel south, even the buildings appear more Mediterranean in color and style, with curved tiles on the rooftops. The climate is decidedly warmer, too; harvest begins a full two weeks earlier here than in Chablis.

In the centre of the region is Viré-Clessé. Although it was only declared an appellation in 1999, outstanding wines have been made here for centuries.

The influence of the warmer climate shows up in the well-structured Chardonnays, which have notes of ripe stone fruits, honeysuckle, citrus peel, and wild herbs.

The primary and most famous area in the south: Pouilly-Fuissé. This region is a beautiful, open amphitheater of vineyards. The surrounding villages lay in the valley bottom, cast in the shadow of Roche de Solutré and Roche de Vergisson. Many vineyards border Beaujolais, just over the hills to the south.

It’s here that we have found some outstanding wines that offer value in a region that is fast becoming unobtainable for wine lovers.

These following 3 are the highlights, all certified organic & all practicing biodynamic viticulture. Tiny production, wines with sense of place & identity. we love them.

Domaine Duverne, Macon Bray

With just 6ha of old vines in the northwest of the region at 400 metres, these parcel selected wines are cared for by Sebastien,Delphine & Mathieu, all of whom ran Les Vignes Mouton, a fantastic domaine Sebastien had to sell years ago due to ill health. Now he and his wife and best friend are running this new estate  and are making wine that just bring joy to one’s life.

The wines… well they are off the scale good, we have a few different cuvee’s available but the pick for now is..

2023 Les Bruyeres - £28 per bottle

From 0.5 hectare of 25 year old vines. The nose is a combination of citrus, peach and hazelnut. On the palate it is perfectly weighted, finely tuned & pure, with amazing length and tension.

Domaine Duvert

This estate was founded by Anne-Sophie and David Duvert in 2023. However, the journey began decades before, in 2003, when they first began planting vines and slowly building their vision. With their own domain in their future dreams, they began by selling grapes to the local co-op, eventually affording to build their own cave, and begin their conversion to organic viticulture – achieving certification in 2018.

Saint-Veran 2023 - £30 per bottle

Definitely a wine to sink into, to luxuriate in – offering a steely mineral backbone wrapped in notes of hay, honey and ripe stone fruit. The purity of this wine is striking so elegant and long-lasting.

Nicolas Maillet - Mácon Verzé

This fourth-generation, 8 hectare domaine is situated in the commune of Verze; a cool terroir, being a corridor of well-ventilated opposing east and south-west facing slopes, with deep limestone and chalk soils. It is recognised as producing some of the tensest, freshest and most minerally wines in the Maconnais. The domaine was certified as organic in 2008 and since 2013 they have largely employed biodynamic practices. Their vines are surrounded by those of Domaine Leflaive, which similarly recognised the great terroir of Verze, now own some 30 hectares in the commune and also farm biodynamically.

They work their soils vigorously to ensure healthy, microbiological activity and hand-harvest in small containers to preserve the integrity of the grapes. All their wines are vinified in tank – with entirely indigenous, natural yeasts – to preserve the purity, freshness and character of the terroir.

Macon Verze “Le Chemin Blanc” 2023 - £36 per bottle

Possibly the Finest Macon wine I’ve tasted, comes from vines planted in 1928 and 1936 and offers great depth, intensity and concentration of salty, mineral-laden peach and acacia flowers. Simply irresistible, impossible to just have one glass, luckily comes in bottles, not glasses..

All of these wines are here now!

If you would like to order a 6 bottle mixed case including 2 of each wine we will offer a 10% discount on it - £155 per case.

Have a great weekend!

Team Chester’s