In most cases, when we offer wines in this price range you can purchase to your heart’s content, or at the very least, a full case. Not with La Vigne Mouton—they simply don’t have the production for it! Yes, “Terres de Chazeux” is a super-limited Burgundy at an outstanding price, but it comes with other eye-popping perks, too: the stellar 2014 vintage, pure biodynamic farming, old vines, and an ‘untouched’
élevage. This is ‘natural wine’ without the flaws—you’ll only find incredibly clean, high-toned Burgundy crafted by Sébastien Boisseau.
SommSelect’s subscribers have fallen hard for some wonderful Mâcon Chardonnays and now it’s time to turn your attention to the reds. Trust me, you’re in good hands: If your surname is Boisseau and you reside in Mâcon-Bray (an esteemed village within the Mâconnais allowed to append their name to ‘Mâcon’), growing grapes is second nature; many generations have spent a lifetime among the vines. Currently, it’s Sébastien, and his calloused hands have weathered decades of vine planting, training, harvesting—you name it. His propensity for natural farming and winemaking comes with a feel-good story, too. So, although I urge you to read more about the story behind this dedicated man, just remember that our tiny allocation will go quick. Only six per person!
In Burgundy, growers often sell their coveted Pinot Noir to others; for some, a good price and readily available buyers are preferable to making a go of it as a bottler. Down in the Mâcon, most of the fruit and/or wine sold—especially in the agricultural hamlet of Mâcon-Bray—goes straight to the ubiquitous regional co-ops, which then combine grapes from all over. So, those who ultimately put in more work and time by farming organically/biodynamically for the exact same price must have a loose hinge, right? Well, Sébastien Boisseau sees it a different way: When his father was in charge of the family business years back, he fell ill from the very pesticides he used in the vineyard, so Sébastien took over and immediately halted all use of chemicals in the late 1990s.
To him, it was less about the paycheck and more about respecting the land by providing an unmanipulated product that would reflect the very essence of the word. Because of this, locals ridiculed and labeled him a black sheep as he continued to sell his biodynamic crop, out of sheer principle, to co-ops. After 15 years of this—learning and practicing all-natural growing—Sébastien and his wife, Delphine, decided to start their own label: Domaine La Vigne Mouton. While most small operations are typically unnoteworthy, Sébastien’s scale of winemaking is so diminutive, that it ironically becomes noteworthy. In their winery, which is quite literally an extension of their garage, there are only six tanks for their Pinot Noir. After they have completed their long, natural fermentation (with partial ‘whole-cluster’), the newborn wine is transferred down to their cellar—at only a few hundred square feet, a ‘barrel room’ is a more fitting name—where it ages in neutral French barrels without any sulfur additions. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
In the glass, La Vigne Mouton “Terres de Chazeux” has a bright ruby core slowly moving out to a lighter ruby rim. The nose reveals beautiful perfume in slow, extended waves: fresh lavender, roses, and herbs jump to the fore, followed by crushed rocks and forest flora. But what really shines brightest here are the pure, high-toned fruits of redcurrant, black plum, boysenberry, muddled cherries, and wild strawberries. Terres de Chazeux checks all the boxes of natural wine on paper, but upon smelling and tasting it, you only receive super clean aromatics with no funk or oddities: This is strictly pure Pinot crafted by a skilled, yet non-manipulative, hand. It reveals a supple medium-bodied palate that pops with piquant fruits, mineral savor, and mouthwatering acidity that pacifies the firm structure that came from the 2014 vintage. Expect this to continue a wonderful evolution over the next 5-7 years, but know that it’s fully ready to be enjoyed now. Simply show it a 30 minute decant (or pull the cork an hour prior) before pouring into Burgundy stems at a steady 60-65 degree drinking temperature. Thanks to its low price, I recommend opening a couple bottles amongst your family along with pork chops and roasted sweet potatoes—it’s a perfect combination for an autumnal weeknight dinner. Cheers!
