Domaine Henri Perrusset - Mâcon-Villages 2023

A few decades ago, in a small, local vigneron hangout in the Beaujolais, Kermit and Henri Perrusset met rather serendipitously. There weren’t enough tables in the restaurant and the hostess seated Kermit with Henri, who was just finishing up his meal. Their conversation blossomed, and Henri invited Kermit to visit and taste his first vintage.  Kermit has been buying these delicious, distinctive Chardonnays ever since.  For decades, the Mâconnais has been dominated by the banal bottlings of cooperative cellars; not the sort of quality that leads novices to explore the wines of the region. But at the same time, Henri Perrusset has been working his vineyards by hand, and reducing his yields to improve grape quality.

Henri Perrusset’s vineyards and home are located in the small town of Farges-les-Mâcon, on the northernmost spur of the limestone subsoil that characterizes the appellation of Mâcon. Farges is not far away from the village named (believe it or not) Chardonnay. The limestone in Farges is more marly than the compact limestone farther south in Pouilly-Fuissé. It is hard and intensely white, but breaks apart into small pieces and it is loaded with quartz and marine fossils as well. This type of soil is easier to work despite all the stones, provides great drainage for the vines, and gives the wines their grainy minerality. Our Mâcon-Farges bottling comes uniquely from a parcel of old vines, while the Mâcon-Villages is a custom blend of all his other holdings around Farges. These are Chardonnays with the ripeness and intensity level of a Pouilly-Fuissé or even a Saint-Aubin, with the particular goût de terroir of Henri’s corner of Mâcon.

After the 2020 vintage, Henri unofficially retired, but not before finding a young and like-minded local vigneron, Nicolas Roux, who has taken the reigns at the winery.

Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled cuves. Malolactic fermentation begins in the Spring with the help of the bacteria present in the lees. Wine ages on its lees for 8-10 months in stainless steel cuves before bottling.

Producer: Domaine Henri Perrusset

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Varietal: Chardonnay

Appellation: Mâcon-Villages

Vintage: 2023

Size: 750ml