Georges Duboeuf is a négociant, buying fruit and wine from growers across the region and releasing it under his own label. This one is Chardonnay from the Mâconnais, the southern stretch of Burgundy where the grape ripens more generously than it does up in the Côte d'Or.
- Chardonnay, the white grape of Burgundy.
- Mâcon-Villages, from villages in the Mâconnais.
- 2020, a warm and generous vintage in Burgundy.
- 13% alcohol, dry, medium body.
- High acidity, low tannin.
How it is made
Mâcon-Villages is a step up from plain Mâcon: the grapes must come from named villages within the appellation, and the rules are stricter on yield and ripeness. It is Chardonnay and nothing else. Unlike the famous whites further north, it is not built to sit in new oak, so the fruit stays forward.
How it tastes
Green apple and citrus, with white flowers and a mineral edge. The acidity is high and the body medium, so it reads crisp rather than soft. Dried apple, apricot and lemon rind show up on the nose, and the fruit carries through to a fresh, balanced finish.
Good to know
The Mâconnais sits at the southern end of Burgundy, where the limestone hills give way to warmer slopes. The region was best known for red wine until phylloxera cleared the vineyards in the late 1800s, and growers replanted much of it to Chardonnay.
