Rijckaert Saint-Véran Vieilles Vignes 2023
Fine and pure nose with lemon zest and juicy white stone fruit, on the palate the fruit becomes richer and more mouth-filling whilst the interior develops more creamy apple patisserie character and a hint of ginger, refreshed by a touch of salinity on the finish.
The vineyards of Saint-Véran neighbour the more prestigious Pouilly-Fuissé appellation and lie in a chain of hills dominated by the vertiginous rock of Polutré. The soil here continues the theme of limestone but without the dense proportions of its neighbouring appellation. The vineyards for this wine are farmed sustainably with minimal intervention.
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 used oak - six to fifteen 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, then ageing on the lees with no batonnage or fining, in order to keep the wine with a natural roundness and lively fruit character.
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13% |
| Country | France |
| Region | Burgundy |
| Subregion | Saint-Véran |
| 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.
