Bourgogne Chardonnay "Orane" AOP 2022

A Chardonnay that needs no special effects: clear fruit, vibrant acidity, 12.5% Vol. and a dry style keep it lean. Precision and aromatic clarity are Jérôme Galeyrand's signature, and the "Orane" 2022 shows them unfiltered.

Domaine Jérôme Galeyrand is based in Saint-Philibert, east of Gevrey-Chambertin, and farms 5.25 hectares in the northern Côte de Nuits. 70 percent of the vineyard area is farmed organically, 30 percent along sustainable principles. Pesticides are excluded, and ploughing is done mechanically.

A single-varietal Chardonnay, vinified according to Galeyrand's credo of terroir transparency: no added industrial yeasts, no enzymes, no fining agents, and only minimal sulphur. As with all the estate's white wines, ageing lasts 12 months in French oak barrels, with the proportion of new wood deliberately kept low. The work takes place in the small cellar attached to the winemaker's house.

A juicy start of green apple and ripe lemon, joined by white blossom and a nutty, smoky note from the barrel. The acidity sets the direction, the texture stays fine-grained, and the finish is clear and long.

Pairs well with pan-fried pike-perch and trout meunière, as well as with white poultry in a light cream sauce or mild, matured semi-hard cheese.

Galeyrand came to winemaking from the cheese trade and bought his first plot of 0.05 hectares in 2002. In 2020 he was awarded a star in the Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France. The estate's annual production is around 2000 cases.