Domaine Sainte Barbe
Jean-Marie Chaland, together with his wife Ewelina, run this 9-hectare estate in Viré having taken over the reins from Jean-Marie’s father 14 years ago. The vines have never seen a synthetic chemical since his grandfather planted them just after World War II, and are all Certified Organic. Domaine Sainte Barbe's vineyards include 23 different parcels of vines, and 75% of them are more than 50 years old. The clay-limestone soils here help give structure and lift to the Mâcon fruit. Harvest is by hand and vinification uses only natural yeasts and minimal added sulphites.
Where and what is Viré-Clessé?
Viré-Clessé is a relatively new appellation in the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy and the most recently created of the region's communal titles. Viré-Clessé wines are produced exclusively from the Chardonnay grape variety, and Domaine Sainte Barbe was recently named one of the Top 25 Mâcon producers in the Australian Gourmet Traveller ‘Wine’ magazine.
The classic Viré-Clessé wine offers aromas of acacia flowers and exotic fruits, with the best examples having a mineral, flinty undertone known as ‘pierre a fussil’ (gunflint).
Jean-Marie has a beautiful sense of calm and thoughtfulness about him, happy to split his time evenly between work in the vineyard and winery, his young family, a passion for martial arts, and renovating his historic property 5km from the winery. We offer two wines from this domaine, both delicious, and interesting styles of Chardonnay.
Wines Imported
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2020 Domaine Sainte Barbe Viré-Clessé ‘La Perrière’
Jasper Morris MW writes: “This vineyard sits on a slightly more recent limestone base from the Rauracien period. Pale colour, light green tint. Softly pleasing and not exaggerated, more like yellow plum with a light peachiness, refining to a more saline finish.”
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The vines are lower down the slope here, so there is more clay below the limestone topsoil. All has been made in barrel. Some of the muscatty clone is present in these vineyards, giving an uplifted bouquet. Clean pure and crunchy, with a red fruit sucrosity before the acidity reins the wine back in. Very clearly Viré more than Clessé in style with a lovely crisper touch to the finish, offering a touch of salinity. This needs keeping, up to 10-15 years. Jasper Morris MW
90 Points. Drink from 2026-2032. Tasted: March 2024.
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The holding consists of 0.30ha of old vines, another 0.15ha which they have recently planted, with more to follow this year, on a blue marl soil. All made in wood, bottled in November. Still just 13.5% alcohol though the last to be picked. Mid lemon yellow. Certainly, the bouquet offers a mix of slightly muscatty later harvested aromatics, though still with the proper chiselled Viré backbone. Quite sensual, with ripe citrus and apricot aromatics as you get towards the finish. Confit citron for me, Jean-Marie offers hay and ginger. Fascinating complex wine, I can see the Clos du Buc more on its own than with food. Jasper Morris MW
92 Points. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted: March 2024.
