Chardonnay "Grande Marnière" 2023

Domaine des Marnières

He admits it without any particular pride: when he first started making wine in 1995, he was, to put it bluntly, out on a limb and his neighbours, fruit growers like him, thought he was a gentle dreamer. The Domaine des Marnières, which lies at the heart of the Herve region, in Wallonia, The Domaine des Marnières, located in the heart of the Herve region, currently has 20,000 vines, announcing an average production of 20,000 bottles by 2025 (when the youngest plants will be productive). Sometimes, it's fine to be right too early...

Chardonnay

Benoît Heggen limits his yields to 25 hl/ha to ensure that the fruit is expressed to best effect and he does not, as he says, have to "mess about in the cellar". As for the wine-making process, he opts here for alcoholic fermentation at 17°C in stainless steel tanks and malolactic fermentation in oak casks, which he leaves to start without adding any sulphites. This Chardonnay was matured in casks (new or having held several wines) for six months.

   Pale yellow robe. Beautifully clear.

   Lemon aromas at first, with more exotic notes once the wine is aerated.

   Less fatty than usual, but with good persistence. Sharp finish. A little Chablisian touch?

   Land or sea, you choose.

   12-14 °C