2022 Macon-Villages 'Rift 71' Loron
This Rift 71 shone and impressed all in a Mr. Wheeler tasting of 30+ white Burgundies, bursting as it was with gorgeous stone fruit and citrus character, delicate nutty notes and hints of spicy ginger. A lovely streak of acidity complements the palate perfectly and brings excellent length. A brilliant white Burgundy.
Sans souffre ajouté. It is rare that the use of a winemaking process is considered to have such an effect on a wine that it gets a mention on the front label. Without getting too deep into technical details, winemakers routinely use Sulphur Dioxide to kill off bacteria at various points of the winemaking process, and indeed it is very tricky to make stable wine without it tricky but, crucially here, not impossible.
The health and ripeness of the grapes have to be perfect, the winery must be absolutely spotless, and there is a great deal more attention to every little detail and every single stage required, as the winemaker just cannot make a mistake without spoiling the entire production.
Luckily, the very talented Jean-Pierre Rodet learnt his trade from the Godfather of Natural wine, Jules Chauvet, and he is an expert in this technique. The fruit selected for this cuvée hails from great sites around the Maconnais, and only the very best fruit, with perfect ripeness and brilliant natural acidity, can be considered for this.
If it is so tricky to make the wine in this way, why bother?, I hear you ask?
Well, the payoff is a purity of fruit rarely encountered otherwise, and a range of the more delicate flavours that usually get a little stunted; a wonderful expression of top quality Mâcon chardonnay. Superb whether you are drinking it on its own or pairing it with grilled chicken or a salad of fresh leaves, mozzarella and peaches, this is a wonderfully versatile option for summer and early autumn drinking.
Tasting note:
Bursting with gorgeous stone fruit and citrus character, delicate nutty notes and hints of spicy ginger. A lovely streak of acidity complements the palate perfectly and brings excellent length to what is a wonderful expression of top quality Mâcon chardonnay.