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ACellars Newsletter, 22nd July, 2021

by Annandale Cellars
Domaine Valette

Domaine Valette

The Valette family have been producing some of the finest wines in Macon for generations, with current winemakers Baptiste and Phillippe taking over from their father Gerard Valette. The wines have a cult following in France and are rarely seen outside of the country.

The family farms 17 hectares of vines, most of which are located in Macon-Chaintre. The soils here are a mix of clay and limestone, which enhances the minerality of the wines, and a lot of work is done in the vineyards to promote vine health whilst keeping yields low. This combination creates deeply concentrated wines, which are perfect expressions of their terroir. The vines are also farmed organically, with no systemic sprays, pesticides or herbicides used at all.

In the winery, there are zero additions... absolutely zero. Completely natural. A term that is probably overused and certainly used with too much fanfare. But when the wines are this good - pure, layered and elegant - then it's worth a mention. Maison Valette shows the power and presence great Chardonnay has to offer. These truly are the kind of wines we love.

Find Domaine Valette wines here.

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Henri Germain

“This excellent artisan winery make white wines that often achieve the ultimate in intense, rigorous expression of terroir... All of the white wines age to perfection.” Bettane & Desseauve
“I have been saying it for years but I will say it again: if you don’t know these wines, you should because the quality is just too good to ignore.” Allen Meadows, Burghound
“Domaine Henri Germain might well be Meursault's best-kept secret. This is a superb source for classically balanced, artisanal white Burgundy that's built to age, and the softly-spoken Jean-François Germain is justly one of the village's most well-respected vignerons.” William Kelley, The Wine Advocate.

Highly praised and highly sought after. Jean-Francois Germain, of Domaine Henri Germain, is known as a vignerons' vigneron - he produces wines that grab the attention of his peers and neighbours in Burgundy, who regularly snap up most of his production too! We're talking about producers, like Benjamin Leroux, Thierry Pillot and Olivier Lamy to name just a few...

All of Germain's sites are farmed organically, yields are kept low and the fruit is picked at perfect physiological ripeness. The wines are beautifully layered and deep, etched with a crystalline clarity. The 2018s from the Domaine are open for business and already drinking well, thanks to the particular conditions of 2018 which produced wines that are best enjoyed young. Yes, sure, you could cellar them... but who has patience during lockdown?! Not me.

Find the collection here.

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