Maison Marchand Tawse Vire Clesse 2022《ZF1080》

The driving force behind Maison Marchand-Tawse is Pascal Marchand, a native of Montreal, Canada. He moved to Burgundy in 1983, apprenticed under the iconic Henri Jayer, and gained extensive experience at Domaine Comte Armand and Domaine de la Vougeraie. In 2010, he co-founded the winery with fellow Canadian Moray Tawse and subsequently expanded operations by acquiring Domaine Maume. Pascal Marchand was named Winemaker of the Year in 2024 by *Bourgogne Aujourd’hui*; notably, his Musigny bottling once tied for first place with Leroy in a tasting competition. The winery produces wines ranging from the regional level to Grand Crus; this Viré-Clessé is a village-level white wine crafted by Pascal Marchand under the *Maison* (negociant) model.

Vire-Clesse is located in the northern part of the Mâconnais region in southern Burgundy. Formed by the merger of the villages of Vire and Clesse, it received AOC status in 1998. The vineyards are situated on east-facing slopes along the Saône River at altitudes of approximately 200 to 350 meters, benefiting from abundant morning sunlight.

The soil is predominantly Jurassic marly limestone, with some plots featuring "cray" (calcareous white gravel), which imparts a distinct minerality and savory, saline character to the wines. The climate is semi-continental; morning mists can linger on the grapes, facilitating the development of *Botrytis cinerea* (noble rot) in certain plots.

The appellation produces exclusively dry white wines (though sweet wines affected by noble rot are permitted in specific vintages), and regulations mandate the use of Chardonnay grapes only. The style is characterized by fresh fruit aromas—such as acacia and white peach—and mineral notes, offering vibrant appeal even in its youth.

Winemaking

Based on the estate's historical data for Vire-Clesse, the 2022 vintage likely involved pneumatic pressing of whole clusters, followed by alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels. The wine was aged on its lees throughout the process without stirring (*bâtonnage*) to preserve the purity of the fruit flavors and texture. Aging lasted approximately 14 months in older oak barrels to minimize the influence of wood notes on the fruit aromatics. Prior to bottling, the wine underwent a single racking for natural clarification and was lightly filtered.

Notes of lemon, green apple, and white flowers, accompanied by subtle mineral and oak nuances. Medium-bodied, with an interplay of citrus and green apple flavors and bright acidity. A crisp, clean finish with a hint of salinity.