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Domaine Chanson

Viré-Clessé 2018

Viré-Clessé, Burgundy

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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

Jean-Pierre Confuron, Chanson’s winemaker, describes the 2018 vintage as follows: “an extraordinary vintage in every sense. The growing season veered from too wet to too hot and finally too dry, which made deciding when to pick a real challenge. We ultimately decided to begin on the 1st of September with our domaine vineyards. Yields were quite variable though overall quite good and potential alcohols were also varied at between 13 and 14.5%. As we usually do, the vinifications were done using 100% whole clusters for all the wines, save for the Nuits villages because it was hailed on, and thankfully, there were no difficulties with stoppages.”

Overall we can say that the wines produced in 2018 express the richness and pleasantness of the vintage while keeping the elegance and the balance that Domaine Chanson is known for.

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

13.5%

Suggested Retail Price

$24.00

Reviews

90

"Juiciness with elegance"

Wine Enthusiast - July 10, 2020 "A gentle note of freshness, made up of lemon and Mirabelle, characterizes the nose on this wine. Hints of cold butter and chalk add nuance. The palate is rounded, ripe but beautifully balanced, carrying its juiciness with elegance."

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