Domaine Chanson
Viré-Clessé 2017
Viré-Clessé, Burgundy
Chanson’s regional wine, Viré Clessé is one of the best white wines of the region, combining suppleness and minerality. The appellation lies in the heart of the Mâcon appellation in the south of Burgundy. The two villages, Viré and Clessé form a unique terroir on south-east facing slopes. In Viré, the soil is chalky with large layers of clay. In Clessé, the soil structure is slightly different, with a combination of chalk and clay mixed with liasic marls combined with oyster-fossils, giving the wine an underlying minerality. It’s produced from a combination of Chardonnay and Chardonnay Muscaté grapes.
VINEYARD
The two villages, Viré and Clessé form a unique terroir on south-east facing slopes. In Viré, the soil is chalky with large layers of clay. In Clessé, the soil structure is slightly different, with a combination of chalk and clay mixed with liasic marls combined with oyster-fossils, giving the wine an underlying minerality.
WINEMAKING
The wine is for the most part left alone, as the philosophy is one of “infusion rather than construction.” The wine is vinified 100% whole cluster to extract a deeper color and enhance the structure and aromatic complexity. The major condition is that the grapes must be perfect in terms of ripeness and condition. Chanson also strives to maximize the preservation of fresh fruit characteristics, which is why grapes are chilled immediately on arrival in a proprietary tunnel that provides a very quick chill with no oxygen exposure. Then, Champagne-style fractional pressing is practiced to gently extract the purest juice. Oak is used conservatively, with no more than 20% for the whites.
VINTAGE
After a classic winter, spring settled down with warm temperatures but a cool weather in April slackened down the evolution of the vines. May was rainy and was followed by a warm summer with heat waves. However, a few thunderstorms episodes brought enough rain to allow the maturation of the grapes to continue. The harvest started early September with an excellent sanitary level of the grapes. The white wines are well-balanced and give off very pure aromas of citrus fruit mixed with pale fleshed fruit.
TASTING NOTE
Pale gold colour. Delicate fragrances of fern mixed with citrus fruit on a hint of minerality. Well balanced and precise. Tense with a very pure fruit combination. Refreshing finish with mineral tinges
FOOD PAIRING
A fine, dry apéritif, great with light seafood and raw vegetable hors d’oeuvres.
Color
White
Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
Appellation
Viré-Clessé, Burgundy
Alcohol
13%
Suggested Retail Price
$25.00
Trade Materials
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