2020 Chardonnay Barrel

After our discovery of the Roulot method on how Jean-Marc makes some of the most compelling white Burgundies of all, every vintage since 2017 follows this holy grail process. To get the correct pH, the Chardonnay grapes are hand harvested and lightly crushed with a light pressing program.

The wines spend a full year in barrel with light battonage once every two to three weeks until the end of malolactic. The first racking is postponed as long as possible until the new vintage is near, so that the barrels are only empty a short time.

Then the wine is racked to stainless steel, taking the lees with it, for an extra six months. This is a vital step. ‘We get microoxygenation in the wood, then reduction in stainless steel, it gives the wine vertical tension.