Domaine De Roally
Domaine de la Bongran
Cuvée E.J. Thévenet Viré-Clessé Chardonnay 2017
14 & 15 were too much like a dessert wine. 16 & 17 are the way to go if you want some acidity.
Great note!
Domaine de Roally
Tradition Viré-Clessé Chardonnay 2008
Vintage has always been off. Otherwise an amazing producer. — 11 years ago
Domaine de Roally
Mâcon-Montbellet Chardonnay
And Eric Texier! 1996 — 10 years ago
January 8, 2015 - I remembered that Eric Texier mentioned that one of the first wines he ever bought was from Henri Goyard, so I pulled my last bottle of this to share with him during his recent visit to Atlanta. Hazelnuts and a hint of butterscotch, rich but nimble layers of fruit and minerals, and enough acidity to keep it all together, it was simply brilliant, and even more impressive than the wonderful 1997 Bongran opened the week before.
The realization that this was my last Goyard triggers a surprising sense of loss, but even stronger is the joy from the memory of sharing that final bottle with someone who appreciates and understands M. Goyard's wines and his legacy better than I ever will.
The realization that this was my last Goyard triggers a surprising sense of loss, but even stronger is the joy from the memory of sharing that final bottle with someone who appreciates and understands M. Goyard's wines and his legacy better than I ever will.
Paul T HB
Inexpensive enough to pop one straight off the truck after its week long journey from the east coast. Right there with the 16, less botrytis than the 14 & 15 which is what I was hoping for.
VM94
Rated 94 by Vinous Media
The 2017 Viré-Clessé, which will be bottled at the beginning of 2022, has a killer nose with an almost Germanic feel, intense nectarine, melon and damp earthy scents with just a hint of petrol. The palate is beautifully balanced with a line of acidity keeping everything taut and linear. The 2017 is a little waxy in texture with orange rind, stem ginger and white pepper furnishing the very persistent finish. This is superb - a Viré-Clessé with genuine substance and longevity.
Winery
100% Chardonnay. Bongran is Thévenet's original home estate (Domaine de Roally, also in Viré-Clessé, was added later). Cuvée Tradition is its single bottling of dry white wine (in certain vintages, a sweet botrytized wine is made). The old vines are organically farmed and harvested manually and notably late at a very high ripeness level. The grapes are pressed very slowly and gently. After settling, the juice is fermented in tank with indigenous yeasts, very slowly, taking up to two years to finish; there are often a few grams of residual sugar remaining in the wine. The wine is aged in tank only, then in bottle for several years before release. It has an extraordinary richness of flavor and texture along with firm acidity and minerality. — 3 years ago