Virolis Virè clessé 2022 Domaine de la Verpaille

omaine de la Verpaille are Estelle and Baptiste, the hosts: firmly tied to their land of origin, they represent the fifth generation managing this family estate in Viré, in the Mâconnais: the production area furthest south in Burgundy, with Chardonnay being the main grape variety here. The goal of the wines from Domaine de la Verpaille is – they explain – to “reveal our terroirs,” that is, to unveil the secrets of each individual parcel, to tell the story of one of the most recognized wine regions in the world. Estelle and Baptiste construct this narrative with a few substantial adjustments: organic farming in the vineyard, certified on the label since 2009, using only copper and sulfur to protect the plants from diseases, and natural cover cropping between the rows. In the cellar, everything is done to best express the potential of the harvested grapes, using only indigenous yeasts to activate fermentations and allowing the wine to rest for a long time before bottling, mostly in demi-muid, the French barrels of 600 liters, used. The white wines are the flagship of Domaine de la Verpaille, made from 100% Chardonnay grapes sourced from micro-parcels, especially in the AOC Viré-Clessé, of different ages – even over a hundred years old for the “Vieilles Vignes” – and with soils mainly of calcareous origin. The resulting wine is vibrant, refined, and elegant, supported by vibrant minerality and a very long aging potential.