Le Caveau Wine Merchants - Viré-Clessé 'Cuvée Spéciale', André Bonhomme (Burgundy)

Certified Biodynamic
Viré-Clessé Cuvée Spéciale is so-called because it comes from parcels of vines aged between 28 and 70 years old, grown on clay-limestone soils. It is a richly flavoured and textured wine, with trademark Viré-Clessé exotic and mineral flavours and great ability to age gracefully. Ripe green apples, hints of mango and light spices on the nose, followed by a generous and very pure palate where green apples, grapefruit mingle with mangoes and citrus fruits. The wine displays thrillingly pure and crystalline fruit flavours and a long, mineral finish. A brilliant value. In previous vintages, this has been cited by the 3 Michelin-star restaurant, Taillevent as “le Meursault de Macôn.”

André Bonhomme’s first harvest took place in 1956. He was the first grower in the Mâconnais to bottle and sell his own wine, and was at the origin of the creation of the new Viré-Clessé appellation in 1998.
Today, son-in-law Eric Palthey and André’s daughter Jacqueline are in charge of the 11-ha estate, where their son, Aurélien (Oenologist) is taking centre stage.
Large amounts of straw is being dispersed in the vineyard, which helps fighting erosion and acts as a natural fertilizer, sheeps are let roaming in the vineyards, keeping the grass in check. The yields are very small, the grapes are hand-harvested and gently crushed, in full, in a pneumatic pressoir. Natural yeasts are used and all parcels are vinified separately before the final assemblage.