Unoaked Chardonnay from the rich 2022 vintage. This Normand Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Blanc is a delightfully pure wine from southern Burgundy. You can smell aromas of ripe yellow and green fruits such as pear and apple, along with other exotic fruits. Notably, the wine has a wonderfully fresh and soft mouthfeel. The wine is smooth and crisp, aged in stainless steel, yet has a slight salty richness. Addictively delicious. The grapes come from 25+ year old vines from the hamlet, also known as a lieu dit: Chemin de la Grange du Dîme.
Pair it with your aperitif, or serve with herring or oysters.
Norman muscle with southern flair. Alain Normand comes from the Loire Valley, but his ancestral home is Normandy, hence his name. This makes him a Norman, a Viking, and true to form, he is (by French standards) a tall, red-haired man. He met Sylvaine, a Burgundian, at the wine school in Beaune. They began their career by taking over an abandoned vineyard in La Roche-Vineuse with a métayage contract, a common agricultural practice in France where the landlord is paid in wine. Alain Normand now cultivates 35 hectares in La Roche-Vineuse, an ancient village nestled on the steep flank of the enormous limestone escarpment that gives Vineuse its name. This village is perched on the small pass that cuts through the Mâcon hills leading to Cluny, the seat of power of the Benedictine monk order in their medieval heyday. One of their secret weapons is the Burgundy Pinot Noir cuvée Esus, which even convinces non-Pinot Noir lovers with its seductive vanilla tones and warmth. Additionally, their buttery Chardonnays have great backbone and that characteristic crème brûlée vanilla nose.
The Mâconnais is especially known for its white wines, primarily made from the Chardonnay grape. The region boasts several appellations, of which Mâcon-Villages, Viré-Clessé, Pouilly-Fuissé, and Saint-Véran are the most prominent. These wines are crisp, fruity, and often characterized by a fine minerality reminiscent of the top wines from northern Burgundy, but with a softer and more accessible style. The wines from the Mâconnais often exhibit a pronounced terroir that subtly varies by village, giving each bottle its own character.
At Burgundy or Nowhere, you will find an extensive selection of Mâconnais wines, from well-known names to hidden gems. We are particularly excited about the wines from Domaine de la Chapelle, whose Saint-Véran is known for its impressive depth and complexity at a reasonable price. The Pouilly-Fuissé AX-B from the same domaine is also an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality Mâconnais experience without the high price of the Côte d'Or. Our goal is to offer wines where the price reflects what is in the bottle, not just the name on the label.