Domaine Coteaux des Margots Macon Villages 2023

Domaine Coteaux des Margots is perfectly nestled into the Mâcon hills of Southern Burgundy, just 5km from the start of the Beaujolais. And Beaujolais is exactly where we were for dinner when we first came across this little gem of a producer. 15 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay are sustainably farmed by Jean-Luc and Veronique Duroussay and their son Pierre-Julien in the gentle warmth of the Macon sun. 

Life is generally pretty uncomplicated in the Mâcon, and so it goes in the vineyards and the cellar. The Duroussay’s use lutte raisonnee in the vineyard, which means they only use products when they have to to help ensure a healthy crop of grapes. The Chardonnay for this Mâcon blanc is then picked with good acidity by both hand and machine before undergoing a gentle, relatively cool fermentation to help retain as much pure fruit and floral aroma. The wine then spends a short time in lined concrete vats, which helps add a little polish before bottling. The focus is on freshness and finesses in the cellar. Hence, there is absolutely and resolutely no oak used here, which means nothing interferes with this perfect example of beautifully textured and zippy Southern Burgundian chardonnay.  Simple pleasures.