Viticulture in Burgundy was well established by the second century AD, and likely predates the arrival of the Romans. By the late Middle Ages, the influence of the monastic orders had organized wine growing in Burgundy as nowhere else in Europe. It was the monks who recognized that certain individual vineyards consistently produced distinctive wine. Land reform came with the French Revolution, and the Code Napoléon abolished primogeniture, establishing that all inherited property be shared equally among siblings. As a result, the ownership of many of the finest vineyards is fragmented, with some growers owning just a few vines in many different vineyard sites. The appellation, Mâcon-Uchizy, covers the gently rolling hills surrounding the village of Uchizy. The wines here (all Chardonnay) are broadly textured with softer structure than the areas of Clessé or Fuissé.

The Talmard family has been a part of the winemaking tradition in the Maconnais region of Burgundy since the 17th century. In 1971, Paul Talmard withdrew from the local cooperative and decided to estate bottle the wines produced by his family’s property. Today, Cave Talmard is run by Paul’s daughter, Mallory, and her husband, Benjamin, who both respect the watchwords of the Talmard family: “compétence et amour de la vigne,” which translates to “skill and love of the vines.” The estate includes 30 hectares (74 acres) of vineyards in the villages of Uchizy, Montbellet, Chardonnay, Tournus, and Farges-lès-Mâcon. Most of the vineyards grow on well-exposed, steep limestone hillsides. This type of terroir can reduce yields, which contributes to grape concentration and quality. All of the wines produced by Cave Talmard are matured on the lees for two to three months in stainless-steel tanks. The absence of oak barrels in the winemaking process allows their wines to showcase the flavors of the grapes from this exceptional terroir.

Aromas of lemon-spritzed Jonagold apples, sun-warmed white peaches, and raw honeycomb emerge in the nose, sometimes alternating with aromatic suggestions of pastry cream, lemon curd, and sweet freesia as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, dry and refreshing limestone-infused Chardonnay flavors echo the nose, along with suggestions of salted crème fraîche, grated nutmeg, ripe honeydew, and oolong tea, all seasoned with mouth-watering, flaked Maldon salt minerality. The overall impression is one of long, persistent, cool mineral opulence. Drink now.

ALC 13%

Unoaked.