Chorey-lès-Beaune Maillard et Fils (Domaine) 1978

Lot presentation

Chorey-lès-Beaune Maillard et Fils (Domaine) 1978

The wine

Domaine Maillard père & fils is found in the lovely village of Chorey-les-Beaune, so this cuvée is one of the domain’s landmark wines. The vines used to make it are around 30 years old. The soils are made up of chalk and marl that date from the Jurassic era. In the vineyard, Paul Maillard works sustainably in order to space out the plants and allow them to flourish. The work is carried out traditionally and the harvests lead to taking just 6 or 7 bunches per vine stock. The grapes are picked by hand and sorted in order to select the best bunches. Vinification begins with 12-15 days in vats with 1 to 2 stirrings per day. The maturation is then carried out in classic 228-litre Burgundian barrels, 25% of which being new wood. When it comes to bottling, the wine is filtered very little in order to preserve its character and its length on the palate. It has a lovely, ruby hue and delicate notes of red fruit.

The Maillard family has been part of Burgundy's viticultural scene since 1766. In 1952, Daniel Maillard, father to Pascal, decided to dedicate himself to this career, concentrating on enlarging the domain and growing cuvées in a way that respects the terroir and the soil. The domain has gone from 2 hectares to 19, shared across the areas of Aloxe-Corton, Pommard, Beaune, Ladoix-Serrigny, Chorey-les-Beaune, Meursault, Volnay, and Savigny-les-Beaune. In the vines and the winery alike, the methods are traditional, and all the cuvées are classed as grand cru in the regional appellation. They are worked meticulously, from the selection of the grapes to the vinification and the maturation in 228-litre oak barrels. If, one day, you have a chance to visit, don't miss out on going down into the cellar where a magnificent well serves as a tasting table. Overall, this one is a Burgundian bright spark still at pleasing prices.