APPELLATION : MACON-LUGNY (Lugny is a small village at the North-West of Mâcon)
Cuvée : "Les Crays Vers Vaux". In French "Crays" is an old name that refers to the "rocks". This name is an indication of the kind of soil we have in this very unique terroir….
Soil : Mass of fallen white limestones. The surface of the soil is only white and rocky, no organic earth visible!
Exposure : The vineyard is on a hillside facing fully West, at an elevation of 280 meters! In short, the location of this plot is quite cold…but harvested at the right level of maturity, this vineyard gives wines with a rare elegance, structured by a deep minerality.
Average age of the vines : 55 years old. The stong roots of this old vine goes deep into the soil to take all the minerals which give to the wine this specificity.
Grape variety : 100 % Chardonnay
Vineyard management : Sustainable management of the vine disease control (only against of downy mildew and powdery mildew). No use of chemical weed killers. The soil is plowed to improve the rooting of the vines.
Yield : Only 35 hL/ha in 2014!
Harvest : The harvest is made to the optimum of maturity of the grapes (not too green of course, but neither overripe…we do not want to loose the freshness of this fine Chardonnay). The harvest is made by hand, and the sorting of the grapes is always very attentive.
Vinification Long and careful pressing, using a pneumatical press. The alcoholic fermation and malolactic fermentation (completely done) are natural, without any addition (no selected yeast, no enzymes, no activator, ...). The fermentations and ageing are completely done into oak barrels that are 6 to 8 wines old (60%). 30% of more recent barrels and 10% of new French oak. Ageing duration : 18 months.
Bottling : No fining. Bottel at the domaine,by ourselves.