Saint-Véran Climate "La Bonnode" Ovoide Zen AOC 2023 1500ml Magnum

A dry Saint-Véran with a saline core and a bright edge, 13.5% Vol. The nose opens delicately citrusy with green mandarin, lemon zest and orange blossom. With aeration, the notes from the ageing emerge: wet chalk, crushed oyster shell and a continuous saline trace. Beneath lies a well-steeped herbal tea with a touch of chamomile.

The climat La Bonnode lies at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson in southern Burgundy. The parcel covers around two hectares, faces east and sits on limestone and clay soil; the vines are about 35 years old and farmed biodynamically. Behind this wine is Domaine La Soufrandière in Vinzelles, founded in 1947 by Jules Bret with one hectare in the Clos de Grand-Père. Since 2000, his grandsons Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret have run the estate, joined by Marc-Antoine Bret since 2010; the vineyards are partly worked with horses.

Pure Chardonnay. The must fermented spontaneously in the 19-hl concrete egg, which the addition Ovoide refers to; no sulphur was used during fermentation and ageing. After around a year in the egg and a brief rest in stainless steel, the wine was bottled unfiltered with a minimal addition of sulphur.

Precision and pace: the fine phenolics give grip, the tannins are polished and powdery, driven by a brilliantly bright acidity. Taut and citrusy, medium body, sinewy and defined, more a sprint than a marathon.

La Soufrandière has been organically certified by Ecocert since 2003 and has carried the Demeter seal since 2006, which also appears on the label. Bottled in a 1500 ml magnum.