Discovering the Mâconnais (5) Domaine Fichet
Website: www.domainefichet.fr
Domaine Fichet is one of the most impressive of the Mâconnais domaines I’ve visited. They are based in Igé, a village of 900 people, many of who make a living from wine.
Run by brothers Pierre-Yves (vintage 1965, he looks after viticulture) and Olivier (winemaking), the current domaine was formed in 1988, and has grown now to 30 hectares. We met with Pierre-Yves.
The domaine HVE-certified sustainable, and they just use herbicide in the inter-rows a bit, but they work the vine row manually. This year they have had to be very careful because everything has been growing so much. Two of their blocks, La Cra and La Frasière, are farmed organically.
Their father began in 1976 with 12 hectares, all of which was sold to the cooperative in Igé (a small one with 30 members). There are now two domains in Igé, and so the 32 growers farm 280 hectares together.
THE WINES
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Burgy Les 3 Terroirs Chardonnay 2023
About 10 km from the winery, three plots, clay/limestone with more clay, and a later harvest here. No wood, just tank. So fresh and detailed with nice concentration of direct lemony fruit with some saline notes as well as some chalkiness. There’s a lovely chalky mineral edge here with great precision to the lemony fruit. Very stylish with a nice acid line. Fine. 93/100 (€10)
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Climat La Crépillonne Monopole Chardonnay 2023
Stainless steel. 2.8 ha Lieu dit on the other side of La Cra on the facing slope. Open, floral, honeyed and bright with nice sweet pear and cherry fruit with some lemony brightness. Vivid and intense with nice purity and a lovely acid line on the finish. Real precision and balance here with lovely purity. 93/100 (€12)
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Climat Château London Chardonnay 2023
This is 10% barrel fermented in older oak, 90% in stainless steel. This has old vines with some planted in 1929. The Fichets have 3.5 ha of this 15 ha climat. Powerful, intense but fresh with some mandarin and lime brightness but also some ripe pear fruit. The palate has real presence with crystalline citrus fruit and nice acidity that integrates beautifully. Such complexity with a saline twist on the finish. A lovely wine. 95/100 (€13)
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Climat La Cra 2022
12 months in barrel, 30% new. Powerful, intense, nutty and spicy with good acidity as well as pear, apple, peach and some fine toasty notes. The palate is concentrated and rich with intensity and spicy complexity, showing lovely concentration of fruit and well integrated oak. 94/100 (€20)
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Grande Craie Cuvée d’Exception 2022
Fermented and matured in barrels for two years. This was first made in 2017. Powerful, mealy and spicy with some nutty, toasty detail. Richly flavoured with a savoury spicy edge to the bold pear and peach fruit, finishing with nice acidity. This has well integrated oak and it should develop nicely over the next decade or so. Lots of impact here: bold and intense, with some energy on the finish, showing what the Mâconnais can achieve from a great site cropped sensibly and given long elevage. 94/100 (€38)
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Rosé Saya 2023
Three months in old oak. 100% Gamay. So fresh and direct with a lovely intensity to the palate. Grainy, spicy citrus fruit with some subtle glacé cherry, and a twist of saltiness on the finish. Dry and textured with real freshness and a long, taut, mineral-laced finish. A beautiful dry rosé of real class. 93/100
Domaine Fichet Bourgogne Rouge Tradition Pinot Noir 2023
Bright and expressive with aromatic dark fruits on the nose, with some spice and cola notes as well as the fruit. The palate is fresh, focused and well defined with good acidity as well as stony, savoury, mineral notes on the finish. Nice fruit here, and some savoury, mineral characters. Give this time to integrate. 92/100
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Rouge Gamay Noir 2022
14% alcohol. 1975 plantings of Gamay. Stainless steel. Deeply coloured, this is a rich, ripe but pure expression of Gamay with sweet black cherries and some blackberry jam, with bold, rich, ripe fruit and a sense of lushness. Jammy but delicious with nice richness, but finishes fresh with good acidity and just enough structure to hold things together. 93/100
Domaine Fichet Mâcon-Igé Rouge 1969 2022
100% old vine Gamay (0.6 ha planted in 1969), barrel aged in 30% new oak for 14 months. In 2020 they first made this, separating out this old vine plot and maturing it in barrel. A bold, powerful expression of Gamay with vibrant cherry and berry fruits backed up by some spicy structure. Nots of blood, iodine, black cherry and blackberry with some saline notes as well as a bit of stony, woody savouriness. There’s a lot going on here: this is a bold wine with a long future ahead of it. 95/100
Domaine Pierre-Yves et Olivier Fichet
651 route d’Azé, Le Martoret – 71960 Igé
Tel. +33 (0)3 85 33 30 46