Rijckaert Mâcon-Villages Vieilles Vignes 2023
A typically expressive peachy-floral nose lifted and fresh, the palate brings more intensity on the stone fruit with a hint of grapefruit adding a pithy bite, alongside a lovely textural weight and saline grip to the finish.
The vineyard for this wine is situated on limestone soil with a proportion of red clay under the stones, a combination that brings out classic Burgundian characteristics of Chardonnay. The limestone builds freshness, whilst the clay helps retain moisture, ensuring well-ripened fruit in warmer vintages. The vines are managed organically, although not officially certified.
The grapes are subject to slow and moderate pressing to yield only high quality juice, followed by fermentation using indigenous yeasts and spontaneous malolactic fermentation, then barrel ageing of ten months in predominantly used oak - most are six to twenty years old - to avoid any strong impact on the character of the wine. Throughout this period they follow the philosophy of low input, avoiding the use of enzymes to settle the wine, allowing spontaneous malolactic fermentation, long ageing on the lees with no batonnage or fining, all of which enhances the expression of the terroir.
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13% |
| Country | France |
| Region | Burgundy |
| Subregion | Mâcon-Villages |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Dry/Sweet value | 1 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Cork |
Vins Rijckaert began in 1998, founded by Jean Rijckaert a passionate Flemish winemaker who had been working in the region since 1990. He sought to establish a domaine under his name, and in order to achieve this he bought four hectares in Mâconnais (focused on Viré Clessé), as well as five hectares in the Jura where he fell in love with the spectacular terroir, thus establishing two cellars and making him the first person to make wines simultaneously in both regions. In 2013 Jean met his alter ego Florent Rouve, who became his protégé and thereafter he gradually handed over his savoir faire and philosophy, as well as business activities. Florent has continued to evolve the style of Vins Rijckaert wines with his own signature, marking them with great freshness and precision.
