Presentation
Located in Clessé, in the heart of the Mâconnais region of Saône-et-Loire, Domaine Michel is a family-run estate where the vine has been passed down from father to son for six generations. Nestled in the hamlet of Cray, the domaine embodies the authenticity and high standards of a winemaking savoir-faire deeply rooted in Burgundy’s terroir. The Michel family currently cultivates around 15 hectares of vineyards, exclusively planted with Chardonnay, on clay-limestone soils with ideal sun exposure — a guarantee of finesse and aromatic richness. The vines have an average age of 50 years, lending the wines depth and a mature expression of the land. Over time, the estate’s approach has evolved: Denis, Franck, and Vincent Michel now uphold a sustainable viticulture that respects the environment while combining tradition with modern precision. The vineyards are tilled regularly, pruned short with care, and harvested by hand, ensuring a meticulous grape selection. The wines are typically aged on fine lees, with techniques adapted to each cuvée to highlight freshness, minerality, and complexity. The domaine is best known for its Viré-Clessé AOC wines, a flagship appellation of the Mâconnais created in 1999, which showcases the purest expression of Chardonnay. It also produces Mâcon-Villages and several distinct Viré-Clessé cuvées, each reflecting the subtle nuances of their original parcels. Echoing its rich family heritage, Domaine Michel represents a passionate approach to winemaking where precision, tradition, and terroir come together to craft elegant, balanced white wines deeply connected to their origin.
Location
The “La Barre Levrouté” cuvée comes from the La Barre parcel, located on the cool upper slopes of Clessé, in the northern part of the Viré-Clessé AOP, southern Burgundy. With its east-northeast exposure and slow-ripening conditions, this site naturally encourages the development of overripe Chardonnay grapes, giving rise to this unique and expressive style, known locally as “levrouté”—grapes picked at late maturity without botrytis.
Terroir
The soil is composed of hard limestone and fine clays, with excellent drainage and good moisture retention. This late-ripening terroir, under the right climatic conditions, produces berries that are naturally rich in sugar yet retain a vibrant mineral tension. The result is a wine that combines suave richness with balanced freshness, distinctive of the levrouté style.
In the vineyard
The 45+ year-old vines are farmed with a respectful, sustainable approach, including natural grassing, light tillage, and manual canopy work. Harvesting is done in several passes, selecting only bunches that have reached the desired level of overripeness. Every intervention aims to preserve the identity of the site and allow the wine to reflect its origin with clarity.
Harvest
Grapes are hand-picked, often from late September to mid-October, with multiple passes through the vineyard. The selected berries often show a light passerillage (drying on the vine), with no botrytis. Careful sorting ensures only the best fruit is used—concentrated and pure, ideal for crafting a lightly off-dry white wine with vibrant tension and natural elegance.
Winemaking
After gentle pressing, the must is cold-settled, then fermented slowly in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation may stop naturally or be halted to retain a small amount of residual sugar. Malolactic fermentation is partial or sometimes skipped, to preserve the bright acidity essential to the wine’s balance and liveliness.
Ageing
Aged for 6 to 10 months on fine lees in stainless steel, without excessive bâtonnage. The aim is to preserve the aromatic clarity and natural texture of the wine. No fining, and only gentle filtration before bottling. The result is a wine with shine, energy, and creamy roundness.
Serving
Best served at 10–11°C (50–52°F). No need to decant. Enjoy it young, for its lush fruit character, or after a few years of cellaring, when honeyed and spicy notes begin to emerge.
Ageing potential
5 to 10 years
Tasting
Clear light golden robe. The nose is expressive, revealing fresh quince, baked peach, orange zest, and honeyed floral notes (linden, acacia). The palate is supple and silky, with a touch of sweetness finely balanced by zesty acidity. The finish is long, fresh, and evokes candied fruit and ripe citrus.
Food pairings
This “La Barre Levrouté” cuvée shines with subtle and creative pairings: duck foie gras with quince chutney, orange-glazed poultry, mild shrimp curry, or lamb tagine with apricots. With cheese, it pairs beautifully with truffled brie, Fourme d’Ambert, or a lightly aged ash-ripened goat cheese. On the sweeter side, try it with an apricot-rosemary tart, tarte Tatin, or a stone fruit pavlova.