2022 Mâcon-Chardonnay, Les Busserettes, Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot, Burgundy
Critics reviews
Drink 2025-2027
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (December 2023)
About this WINE
Jean Marc Boillot
Jean-Marc Boillot is a grandson of Etienne Sauzet, and was previously winemaker for Olivier Leflaive. With that mixture of winemaking pedigree and experience it comes as no surprise that Jean-Marc Boillot makes sensational wines. He is one of those rare commodities in Burgundy, a winemaker who produces both red and white wines of the highest quality. Now assisted by daughter Lydie and son Benjamin, Jean-Marc Boillot set up his own domaine in 1985. He started with some rented vines in Pommard, adding Volnay and Pommard from his grandfather’s side in 1988 and the whites, a one-third share of Domaine Etienne Sauzet, from his grandmother in 1991. Including generic burgundy, the domaine now exploits 11 hectares, five red and six white, with the same volume again in négociant cuvées of white wines, especially from the Côte Chalonnaise.
Jean-Marc Boillot now has 10.5 hectares of vines in the Côte de Beaune which include vineyards previously owned by Domaine Sauzet in Puligny. He is a stocky, fit, energetic man who does not waste time with words, instead allowing his wines to speak for themselves.His reds are rich, rounded and exhibit great purity of fruit, his white wines are characterised by their huge concentration, class and wonderful expression of their terroir.
All the whites, except the grand cru, are vinified in the same way: whole-bunch pressed, settled for 24 hours then straight to barrel with 25 to 30 per cent new wood, lees-stirring once a week and bottling before the next harvest. They are pure, fresh, attractive wines. The reds are entirely destalked, given a cool soak before the fermentation begins after which a mix of punching down and pumping over is used according to the vintage and vineyard. Thirteen months barrel ageing, with 50 per cent new barrels, is followed by a further six months maturation in tank before bottling. The reds show a bright combination between fruit and barrel, good for medium-term ageing.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director and author of the award-winning Inside Burgundy comprehensive handbook.
Mâcon
The city of Mâcon represents the capital of the Mâconnais district in the region of Burgundy, to which it lends its name. There are various appellations under the name Mâcon: the generic Mâcon AC, Mâcon Supérieur and the Mâcon-Villages, in ascending order of how much land each appellation entails.
The standard Mâcon AC controls around 53 hectares of vineyard, 70 percent of which is used to produce just white wine, primarily from the Chardonnay grape. Mâcon used to be recognised for its red wines, but in the last century Mâconnais whites have come to the forefront far more. This generic appellation represents a specific style of wine made across the Mâconnais district, rather than an appellation which would cover a select area or terroir.
The ‘Supérieur’ in Mâcon Supérieur refers not to an increase in quality but rather to the boost in alcohol content, a term which can be applied to either red or white wines.
Mâcon-Villages is a specific appellation which refers to white wines produced in certain areas of the Mâconnais region, and usually denotes an improvement in quality over the straightforward Mâcon AC wines.
Many of the small communes under the Mâcon classification opt to add their name to that of the appellation on their wines; notable examples include La Roche Vineuse, Uchizy and Lugny.
Wines from Mâcon tend to be uncomplicated affairs, simple but enjoyable, and the whites in particular are notable for their dry, light bodies and the presence of floral and nutty facets.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Pale in colour. This has fine white fruit background, well-judged ripeness, enough acidity, altogether just a little more personality. The bouquet is a little stricter with a firm concentration of backward fruit which suggests it needs a little longer to mature in bottle.
Drink 2025-2027
Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (December 2023)
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