Mâcon-Azé

Wine
Characteristics

A beautiful golden yellow color, Mâcon-Azé whites have an intense, flattering nose marked by orchard fruits like peach, apricot, and quince, combined with hints of white blossom like acacia. They are lively on the attack and that sensation lingers in the mouth thanks to an acidulated framework that brings quite a long finish. They are fairly representative of these lovely Mâconnais wines that are both charming, indulgent, and forthright.

The reds, sometimes aged in oak, have an intense garnet color, reflecting a lovely concentration of berries, mainly in hotter years. The nose opens quickly with notes of blueberry and blackberry, and touches of jam. They are rounded in the mouth without any astringency.

Wine
Steward’s Tip

White: with its sunny aromatic character and smoothness on the tongue, this wine makes a natural pairing with all kinds of goat cheeses, such as the traditional AOC Mâconnais or its neighboring Charolais for a terroir-themed aperitif. Follow with grilled chicken supremes or mixed fried river fish. This white wine will also bring out the best in local freshwater fish dishes, such as carp with white wine, or pochouse from Verdun-sur-le-Doubs.

Serving temperatures: 10-11°C as an aperitif, 11-12°C with food.

Red: with its aromatic opulence and fleshy mouth, this wine is a remarkable companion with more fibrous meat dishes such as duck ravioli or braised côte de boeuf (ideally from Charolais). For wine-marinated dishes, choose a hot year such as 2018, which will help soften the acidity of the sauce in a boeuf bourguignon or a snail meurette. To finish a meal, try a washedrind cow’s milk cheese that’s not too old, or something drier like a Palet de Bourgogne or a Cendré de Vergy, to match the freshness of the Gamay.

Serving temperature: 14-15°C.

Situation

Along the valley of the Mouge, which for a while, shares the large valley of the Mâconnais running south-southwest/north-northeast, the vines of Azé spread out on either side of the slopes next to the Mâcon-Lugny appellation to the north and Mâcon-Igé to the south.

Like Solutré, Azé can legitimately claim to be an important site for geology and archaeology. This area was settled so early on and was well supplied with water - as the many mills and washing points serve to demonstrate - the area around Azé has long been highly prized, as demonstrated by the establishment of Roman and then aristocratic estates.

Terroirs

Clearly marked out between the lines of relief, the vines sit at between 250 and 440 meters above sea level.

Following the series of geological layers from the Middle and Upper Jurassic (between 150 and 170 million years ago) of the great Mâconnaise valley from west to east, the slopes alternate between limestone massifs and soft marl.