Domaine Cheveau Le Clos Mâcon Chaintré 2016

Le Clos is a single, walled-in parcel of Chardonnay planted on clay and limestone soils in Chaintré, the southernmost village of the Mâconnais. The vines sit on a gentle east-facing slope between 180 and 218 meters above sea level, where Quaternary-period clay mixed with pebbly scree from the erosion of Bajocian hillside provides good drainage without sacrificing depth. At the time of this 2016 vintage, the vines were approximately 20 years old.

Grapes are harvested by hand, pressed pneumatically, and fermented slowly at controlled temperatures in the underground cellars at Solutré-Pouilly. Fermentation occurs without chaptalization. The wine then ages in stainless steel on its fine lees for eight months before a light filtration at bottling. No sulfites are added.

The result is an unoaked Chardonnay with citrus-forward aromatics — lemon, orange, and grapefruit — supported by fruit blossom notes and a minerally finish. The absence of oak keeps the wine precise and direct; the eight months on lees adds texture without weight.

Domaine Cheveau farms organically and vinifies each parcel separately. This cuvée represents the entry point of their Mâconnais range and consistently delivers clean, citrus-driven Chardonnay at Mâcon-Chaintré appellation level.