Grape: Chardonnay
Region: Santenay, Burgundy, France

Distributor's Notes:

"This Chardonnay parcel lies in direct continuity with La Fussière across the commune border, where the Maranges slope rolls seamlessly into Santenay. The soils here are the same fractured limestone with veins of marl that define the upper part of La Fussière, giving the wine a kinship of style: mineral cut, saline length, and tension carried through stone. The difference is subtle — the slightly gentler slope and added clay seams lend a touch more roundness and softness compared to the sharper profile of La Fussière Blanc. Farmed sustainably with plowing or grass cover as needed and copper and sulfur as the main treatments, the vines are hand-harvested, sorted, and fermented in stainless steel before a year’s élevage in barrel, with only a modest touch of new oak. A short settling in tank precedes bottling, unfined and lightly filtered, leaving the wine vegan and transparent. Production is very limited, just a few barrels each vintage, but the wine speaks clearly: orchard fruit, citrus peel, and almond blossom ride over a spine of chalky limestone, finishing long and saline. It is essentially the voice of La Fussière carried northward — Santenay rendered with the same bright mineral clarity, but cushioned by a whisper more clay-born generosity. Domaine Maurice Charleux et Fils traces its roots to 1894 when Ferdinand Charleux planted the first vines in Dezize-lès-Maranges. Joseph, his son, grew the estate to 8 hectares, and in 1970 Maurice took over, bottling under his own name. By the late 1980s, his son Vincent began assisting in the vineyard and cellar and eventually assumed full leadership around 2013. Today, the domaine spans just under 10 hectares (about 85 % Pinot Noir, 15 % Chardonnay), with annual production hovering around 40,000 bottles. Vincent’s tenure reflects both a reverence for the estate’s heritage and a deliberate tactical refinement—he’s gradually expanded the holdings, maintaining the low yields and heightened site specificity his family championed. Vincent’s stewardship emphasizes sustainable, terroir-driven down-to-earth quality: hand-harvested fruit, native yeast fermentations, gentle destemming, and cold soaks followed by élevage in oak with minimal new wood. Throughout his leadership, he has continued and refined the domain’s lutte raisonnée approach—moderate interventions in the vineyard with copper and sulfur, plowing or grass cover as needed, all geared toward enhancing consistency and expression across the appellation’s varied soils. The wines remain defined by clarity and lift, with structure borne not from oak but from site—supple, savory, and mineral-tinged, each cru projecting distinct personality. The estate’s greatest asset may be its terroir: Maranges’ south-facing slopes (240–400 m) fractured by the Dheune fault yield complex clays, marls, and limestone. La Fussière’s marly-limestone and scree offer power and structure, while Clos Roussots’ brown limestone over Jurassic marl brings silk and bright red fruit. Many parcels include vines over 80 years old—Vincent’s focus on preserving these old-vine expressions brings depth without muting freshness. His quietly assertive approach positions Charleux as an articulate voice for Maranges, elevating the appellation with integrity and humble dedication, even as his personal winemaking formation remains largely self-shaped, rooted in generational knowledge rather than formal credentials."