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Domaine Frantz Chagnoleau

Caroline Gon and her partner, Frantz Chagnoleau, are among my go-to producers in the Mâconnais. Gon greeted me at the diminutive cellar on a bright sunny morning to guide me through their portfolio that centers around 6.8 hectares of vines around Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé. The centerpiece is 3.55 hectares of Mâcon-Villages in Le Clos Saint Pancras, which sits at 350m altitude. I first met Gon a few years back at Héritiers Comtes Lafon when she managed the day-to-day operations of Dominique Lafon’s estate (incidentally, their 2021s were reviewed in my Burgundy barrel report published in January.) There has always been a strong artisanal approach here, a sense of precision and prudence. New wood is judiciously used with a preference for 500-liter demi-muids and foudres, keeping wines on their lees. “We picked from August 26 until September 2 at around 40hL/ha,” Gon tells me as we taste through the 2022s. “There was just a little dryness in Viré-Clessé and one part of Saint-Véran that reduced volumes just a little. At first, we were afraid about the quality, but after the élevage, the 2022s became more concentrated and consistent between cuvées while maintaining freshness. They remind me a little of 2017. All the cuvées are between 12.2% and 13.3% alcohol. It wasn’t necessary to pick later because we felt we could not gain more in aromatics.” I adore these wines. They rank among the finest in the region, and their Saint-Véran got me entertaining the idea of Premier Cru status being extended to this appellation. On the other hand, not all winemakers have the aptitude and talent of this pair.

From Moving On Up: Mâconnais 2021 & 2022 (Aug 2023) by Neal Martin

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2022 Mâcon-Villages Clos Saint-Pancras

Color: White

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