Rijckaert, Viré-Clessé Rendez-Vous de Septembre
Country: France Region: Jura
Varietal: Chardonnay Vintage: 2023
Colour: White Style: Dry
Producer: Domaine Rijckaert
Description:
In the beginning, there was the encounter between a Belgian who loved wine and a region, Burgundy.
Jean Rijckaert started making wine in 1990 in the Mâconnais region, where he had settled, as the co-founder of the Verget wine merchants in Sologny. In 1998, when the Domaine Rijckaert was created, Jean bought 4 hectares of vineyards in Maconnais (mainly in the Viré-Clessé area) and, as an enthusiast for the Jura region and convinced of the area’s winemaking potential, 5 hectares in Arbois. A visionary…
The appellation of Viré-Clessé is relatively new, founded in 1998, aiming to mark out a small and high quality area not within the more prestigious Pouilly-Fuissé region. The soil has a high proportion of limestone alongside clay which brings wines with great finesse, aromatic complexity and fine acidity.
The grapes are subject to slow and moderate pressing to yield only high quality juice, followed by fermentation using indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malolactic fermentation, then barrel ageing of ten months in used oak - predominantly over ten years old - to avoid any strong impact on the character of the wine. Throughout this period they follow the philosophy of low input, avoiding the use of enzymes to settle the wine, long ageing on the lees with no batonnage or fining, all of which enhances the expression of the terroir.
Tasting Note: From sustainable agriculture, this Viré-Clessé underwent a particularly attentive vinification. Its aromatic bouquet is marked by notes of fruit, methol, and vanilla. The palate balances the fat of its maturation with the expressive minerality of its terroir before revealing a nice, salty finish. You could serve it with fresh, creamy cheese, white meat, crustaceans, or fish in sauce.
