Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse

Wine
Characteristics

Coming from varying terrain, aspects, and elevation, the white wines of Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse present a range of profiles. While they are all accessible and instantly appealing, they can be very complex with their sustained yellow gold color. Aromas of vanilla and tropical fruit like mango indicate good maturity, underscored by an overall nose that is intense and fairly remarkable. After a forthright attack, one can appreciate a slightly honeyed length, but one without residual sugars that results in great fleshiness on the finish.

The reds are a sustained garnet color with hints of violet. They express fragrances of cherry jam and orchard stone fruit. Ageing in oak also brings a slightly toasted patina, making them more serious than joyful. Distinct but rounded tannins in the mouth indicate their keeping potential of two or three years.

Wine
Steward’s Tip

White: for a perfect flavor combination given the liveliness of this wine on the tongue, opt for an appetizer like a creamy leek tart or risotto verrine. Then allow its acidulated structure to cut through the parsley butter of razor fish à la plancha, gratinated oysters, or snails.

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 from the 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 local 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

At the southern end of this great valley, the vines of Mâcon-La Roche-Vineuse begin after those of Mâcon-Verzé. They then abruptly change direction soon after, heading southeast where the stream called Le Fil cuts through the mountains of the Mâconnais, and where they adjoin the first vineyards of the Saint-Véran, on the edge of the village of Prissé. To the east, the vineyards in Hurigny are scattered over the limestone hills, which are planted with Mâcon- Charnay-lès Mâcon to the south.

Renamed after the Revolution in 1793, the new name of “La Roche-Vineuse” was seen as preferable to “Saint-Saturnin”. Like a clear declaration of its strengths and vocation, the municipality adopted the name “La Roche-Vineuse” in 1908, by ministerial decree.

Terroirs

There are vines at between 260 and 350 meters above sea level in the large valley, while others grow on the slopes of La Rochette (425 meters) and the mountain of Montceau (334 meters).

After the vines facing due east and due west, there are south-southwest facing vineyards. In Chevagny-les-Chevrières and Hurigny, more vines can be found either side of Mont Rouge (377 meters above sea level) at between 250 and 390 meters above sea level.

Carbonate terrain from the Bajocian fossil bed (dating back 170 million years) with crinoidal limestone and limestone with polypier debris, with patches of iron that is good for growing the Gamay grape can be found symmetrically, on the western slopes of La Roche-Vineuse and Hurigny.

On the steep southfacing slopes of Saint-Sorlin, the marl soil, varies from west to east. The slopes of La Roche-Vineuse and Hurigny offer a combination of white-colored heavy marl and fine limestone from the Upper Jurassic, dating back 140-160 million years.