Joseph Drouhin Macon Villages Maconaisse 2023

THE PRODUCER The 22-year-old Chablisienne, Joseph Drouhin, founded his own wine company in Beaune in 1880. His son Maurice succeeded him and started buying up premium vineyard land. Robert succeeded Maurice in 1957, acquiring even more vineyards including some in Chablis and was one of the first in Burgundy to stop using chemicals and pesticides in the vineyards. Today, Robert and his wife Francoise’s four children, Philippe, Veronique, Laurent and Frederic run the house of Drouhin. With 80 hectares of vineyards, Joseph Drouhin is one of largest estates in Burgundy owning land from Chablis, in the north, through the Cotes de Nuits and Beaune, and finally Cote Challonaise, in the south. For the regional appellations, the Drouhins complements their fruit supplies by purchasing fruit from long time grower partnerships. The pinnacle in the Drouhin wine list, is the Domaine Marquis de Laguiche piece of the Montrachet vineyard – which, with 30%, is the largest percentage of land in Le Montrachet. And furthermore, the Beaune Premier Cru vineyard, Clos des Mouches, which produces both a white and a red wine. They also produce an excellent white from Corton Charlemagne. THE WINE Joseph Drouhin, Mâcon-Villages, Mâconnais is a classic expression of southern Burgundy Chardonnay, capturing the freshness and charm that define this renowned appellation. The vineyards of the Mâconnais enjoy a slightly warmer climate than those farther north, allowing the grapes to reach full maturity while preserving their natural acidity. The result is a beautifully balanced white wine that shines with a pale golden hue and inviting aromas of green apple, pear, and citrus blossom, complemented by subtle notes of honey and almond. On the palate, it is lively and elegant, offering a harmonious blend of crisp fruit and gentle minerality. The texture is smooth and refined, with a refreshing finish that highlights the purity of the Chardonnay grape. Vinified entirely in stainless steel to maintain its freshness and clarity, this wine reflects Joseph Drouhin’s commitment to precision and finesse. Approachable in its youth yet possessing enough structure to develop further complexity over time, the Mâcon-Villages is an excellent example of the elegance and authenticity that define the wines of the Mâconnais.INFORMATION Type:White Vintage:2023Country:FranceRegion:Maconaisse Sub region:Macon VillagesGrape:100% ChardonnayStyle:Buttery and Complex Sweetness:DryABV:13%Drinking window:2025 - 2035Size:750mlFood match:Chicken and Turkey CRITICS SCORES We choose our wines based on a range of criteria(seehow we choose our wines)of which critic scores is justone. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores. As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a92/100average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.