Domaine Saint Barbe (Vire)

We have been working with Jean-Marie Chaland's family since the 2002 vintage, selling their Mâcon-Villages and Viré-Clesse to good homes and discerning sommeliers. The Mâconnais can be the source of the best value whites in Burgundy and the wines from both estates featured in this list should be enjoyed by our customers for their generosity and balance.

Jean-Marie is a young, determined winemaker tending just over 9 hectares of vines on 23 plots clustered around Viré and Montbellet. All the wines have been organically certified since 2003 and furthermore, all vines are tended biodynamically without certification.

Notable here is the age of the vines, with 75% between 50 and 100 years old. Undoubtedly this shows in the quality and lovely texture of his wines. Jean-Marie made no bones about the fact that this was a tough vintage for him, he commented on the high volume of rain and cooler growing seasons producing wines of very high boned acidity. Across the range he has given wines longer on the lees to balance these acidities. It should be said however, the wines are incredibly fresh and elegant and will age beautifully. Jean-Marie is considering putting a higher proportion of his wines in Magnum this year too, a sign that he truly believes in the aging potential of them.