The results
Finding value in Burgundy is harder than ever, but this tasting confirms Mâcon as a great source, with Pouilly-Fuissé still the leading area. Christelle Guibert reports
MAConnAis MAy Be seen as one of Burgundy’s more humble sub-regions, but with stock shortages and prices creeping up across Chablis and the Côte d’or, our trio of experts urged savvy consumers to take a closer look.
emma Dawson MW said ‘Burgundy is big challenge for Marks & spencer, and we’ve been trying harder and harder to keep hold of a decent range under £20, so wines from the Mâconnais are becoming increasingly interesting because they definitely offer that.’
stephen Brook recalled that ‘a few decades ago, the Mâconnais used to be a sea of dullness. There were some good wines and good producers, but you really had to seek them out. That’s changed, and the average quality is now much higher.’ This tasting certainly demonstrated that, with our experts rating 93% of the wines Recommended or more.
Matt Wilkins Ms was pleasantly surprised by the quality. ‘you’re guaranteed a certain amount of freshness with Mâcon, but the top wines here had an added dimension of energy and vibrancy.’ But as with the rest of Burgundy, these wines will sell out fast, so if fresh whites are what you are looking for, then Wilkins advised ‘getting in early before it’s too late’. He added: ‘With premium Burgundy as rare as hen’s teeth, restaurants are going to jump on the Mâconnais, particularly when some producers in Chablis have lost as much as 80% of their crop, or even more.’
Alas, also like the rest of Burgundy, prices have crept up. Brook confessed: ‘you used to think of Mâconnais whites as a bargain, but i don’t think that’s really true any more. When you think about the kind of Chardonnay you can get from south Africa or Australia for £20 or £25, Mâcon’s producers have to be careful. With all the problems of small crops and wine shortages, prices have become slightly inflated. This is understandable, but at the same time the domaines still have to find a market and a few of them seem to be slightly pushing it.’
Dawson agreed: ‘Customers still remember when they could get a Côte d’or white for £30 to £50. if Mâcon wines are now commanding similar prices, they need to show that level of ambition and quality. From what i tasted, many are reaching that level, especially the wines from Viré-Clessé and Pouilly-Fuissé.’
As expected, Pouilly-Fuissé shone. Wilkins felt ‘it was one area where you saw the diversity between classic, traditional and modern’. Brook concurred: ‘What i look for in Pouilly-Fuissé is more exotic – almost tropical fruit such as mango or touches of pineapple – as well as wines of some structure and grip with a medium-term ageing ability. some of the top wines here were really classy – they had power, density, complexity and showed the potential of the appellation. But you can’t assume that everything that comes out of a fashionable area is going to be good. you’ve got to pick and choose.’
Viré-Clessé also had the thumbs up from our judges for delivering pure and fresh wines at excellent value. However, st-Véran failed to impress, the wines deemed simple and lacking dimension.
Across all the appellations, Dawson felt the unoaked or lightly oaked examples were the most enjoyable, showcasing their pure fruit characters. ‘They don’t need to try to mimic the Côte d’or,’ she said. ‘They should find their own style and focus on that.’ Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their 2016 white wines (two per producer) from St-Véran, Viré- Clessé, PouillyFuissé, Pouilly- Loché and Pouilly-Vinzelles
‘You’re guaranteed freshness with Mâcon, but the top wines had added energy and vibrancy’ Matt Wilkin MS