# Mâcon-Villages

- **Producer:** Maison Valette
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Average price:** €28
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–13 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, lemon, blossom, biscuit, bread, cream, butter, honey, almond

## About this wine

Maison Valette is a revered family estate nestled in Chaintré, within Burgundy's Mâconnais region, now expertly managed by Philippe, Cécile, and Baptiste Valette. Philippe Valette is widely recognized as a visionary and a cornerstone in natural white winemaking, pioneering practices like eliminating added sulfites during aging and forgoing filtration since 2006. The estate's core philosophy centers on the profound importance of time, employing extended aging protocols that are exceptionally rare in contemporary viticulture. This particular Mâcon-Villages stands out within their portfolio, as it is uniquely fermented and aged in glass-lined cement tanks, a deliberate choice that preserves a pure, direct expression of the Chardonnay grape and its distinctive clay-limestone terroir. This commitment to low-intervention methods, from vineyard to bottle, results in a wine of remarkable character, density, and complexity.

## Interesting facts

- Maison Valette has practiced organic and biodynamic viticulture since 1992, without certification.
- Philippe Valette is a pioneer in natural white winemaking, eliminating added sulfites and filtration since 2006.
- This Mâcon-Villages is uniquely fermented and aged in glass-lined cement tanks, unlike other Valette wines.
- The wine undergoes an unusually long two-year aging on lees, developing rare density and complexity.

## Food pairing

This Mâcon-Villages, with its medium body, pronounced intensity, and potential richness from extended lees aging, coupled with its inherent acidity, offers remarkable versatility. It excels when paired with dishes featuring creamy textures, roasted poultry, and richer fish, where its complexity can shine. The wine's natural style and depth allow it to complement earthy flavors without being overshadowed. The key is to match its intensity and avoid dishes that are either too heavy or too aggressively acidic, which could diminish its nuanced character.

## Wine making process

The viticulture at Maison Valette has embraced organic and biodynamic practices since 1992, though the estate chooses to remain uncertified. The focus is intensely on fostering the microbial life of the soil, utilizing either plowing or grass cover depending on the specific parcel's needs. Grapes are meticulously harvested by hand into small 15kg crates, ensuring their integrity. Harvesting only commences once the grapes have achieved full phenolic maturity, a decision guided by tasting the grapes directly from the vine. For this Mâcon-Villages, the vinification process is distinct: grapes are gently pressed, and the juice is moved by gravity into glass-lined cement tanks for fermentation and aging. No sulfur or other inputs are added during this stage. The wine then undergoes an extended aging period of approximately two years on its lees, without racking, a crucial step in developing its profound complexity. Finally, the wine is bottled without any fining or filtration, maintaining its natural purity and expression.