Maconnais
With Mâconnais, Burgundy has a region where you can still discover real delights. Because the wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay still fly under the radar far too often. Yet here, with growths from amongst others Pouilly-Fuissé, there are outstanding wines to be found. The Maconnais is Burgundy's largest and southernmost wine area, known for its excellent, affordable Chardonnay. With its warmer climate and rolling limestone hills, it acts as a link between Northern and Southern France.
The best wines from Maconnais
With Mâconnais, Burgundy has a region where you can still discover real delights. Because the wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay still fly under the radar far too often. Yet here, with growths from amongst others Pouilly-Fuissé, there are outstanding wines to be found. The Maconnais is Burgundy's largest and southernmost wine area, known for its excellent, affordable Chardonnay. With its warmer climate and rolling limestone hills, it acts as a link between Northern and Southern France.
Where exactly is Mâconnais?
Welcome to southern Burgundy! The Mâconnais directly adjoins the Côte de Beaune, part of the Mâconnais runs parallel. The region is largely located in the Département Saône-et-Loire. The vineyards here are slightly higher than in the Côte d'Or. This means that the grapes ripen more slowly and the harvest takes place later. But that also explains why the wines from Mâconnais are more intense than those from the rest of Burgundy. This is because the grapes develop more powerful aromas due to the slow ripening process.
Other regions
Grapes in wines from Mâconnais
Chardonnay is the main grape used to make almost all white wines, with small amounts of Pinot Noir and Gamay used to make reds and rose’s. The white grape varieties Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Melon de Bourgogne are also permitted.
Appellations of Mâconnais
The system of appellations is simple. Macon: a 100% Chardonnay wine that is occasionally referred to by its village name (e.g., Macon-Lugny). Macon-Villages: only white wines, with a focus on crisp, approachable styles. Superieur: indicates higher alcohol content and higher-level production guidelines.
Among the notable stand-alone appellations are Pouilly-Fuisse: the flagship AOC that produces sophisticated, well-structured Chardonnay from soils rich in limestone. Vire-Clesse: renowned for its vibrant, outstanding white wines (AOC since 1999). Saint-Veran: introduced in 1971 for whites previously labeled as Beaujolais Blanc. Pouilly-Loche and Pouilly-Vinzelles are smaller, superior appellations that are Chardonnay-focused.
The terroir and Geography of Maconnais
Sometimes we ourselves are surprised at how different the climate is in southern Burgundy when we are there. Although the climate in the Mâconnais is also mainly continental, with warm summers and cold winters, there are definitely Mediterranean and oceanic influences here. While winegrowers in the rest of Burgundy have to struggle with late frosts, these are still a big issue in the Mâconnais. Hail or too much rain are also rare guests in both regions. The Mâconnais is protected by the last foothills of the Massif Central in the west. In addition, it is significantly warmer here than in the Côte Chalonnaise. The Côte Chalonnaise, on the other hand, has steeper slopes.
The soils of the Mâconnais are not so dissimilar to those in the rest of Burgundy, but they are very different. They are much more diverse. Calcareous soils dominate. In addition to limestone, there are numerous soils here made of weathered clay, granite, slate and volcanic rock. With so much variety, it is only logical that this also affects the taste of the wines.
Wine producers
What does a wine from the Mâconnais taste like?
Chardonnay is the preferred grape. And if you have ever had a Chardonnay from Pouilly-Fuissé in your glass, then you also know why. The best wines show ripe notes of stone fruit and have seductive hints of tropical fruit. They are also usually aged in wooden barrels for a while, which gives them a strong backbone and a smooth character.
What food goes well with a wine from Mâconnais?
If you prefer a Chardonnay then try a Pouilly-Fuissé with a potato gratin, veal or a salad with goat's cheese. Meanwhile, artichokes with hollandaise sauce complement the creaminess of the wine and are therefore our insider tip.