Maconnais

White Wines

Domaine Mathias, CHAINTRÉ

Gilles Mathias has been running this immaculate estate since the mid-1990's with the continued support of his father, Jean. We first started buying wines from Jean over fifteen years' ago and we have seen this estate improve in quality ever since. TheVinzelles sees no oak maturation and is ebulliently fruity and fresh, coming from a parcel of vines that is situated right next to the Mathias' Fuissé vines. The Fuissé is very concentrated and ripe with delicate nutty flavours and overtones of acacia. 30% of the assemblage sees moderate oak-ageing, thereby acting as a support rather than a dominant factor.

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Domaine des Maillettes, DAVAYÉ

Guy and Annie Saumaize run this 10-hectare estate with passion and total dedication. Guy's 'other' job is growing young vines for other growers (pépinieriste) and, as you can imagine, he takes viticulture very seriously. Careful selection of grafts to match the correct soil-type is somewhat of a speciality and this, coupled with some meticulous wine-making, ensures wines that have vivid fruit flavours and excellent concentration. The 'lieu-dit' En Pommard, in St. Veran, is sappy and concentrated with a luscious fruitiness and a laser-show of flavours at the end of the palate. whilst the Macon Villages 'Davayé' is unusually rich whilst remaining tantalisingly fresh and lively. Both wines are the result of amazing attention to detail in the vineyard.

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Red Wines

Domaine Alain Normand, LA ROCHE-VINEUSE

Alain Normand, from his 3.5 hectares of thirty year-old Gamay vines, makes one of the most attractive Macon Rouges that we have tasted. These are deep-coloured, textured wines with a distinctive nose of ripe damsons and a floral backdrop. In no way are these wines that try to copy Beaujolais as they reflect the 'terroir' of the Maconnais and, in particular, la Roche-Vineuse, whose limestone and granite-based soils are ideal for the Gamay. Alain's vineyards were severely hailed in 2004 which meant that he did not produce any red wines in this vintage at all. We are eagerly awaiting his 2005 which should be available towards the end of 2006.

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