Exploring the Mâconnais (7) Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand
Website: https://domaine-normand.com/en/home/
Sylvaine and Alain Normand is an impressive Mâcon producer with a winery and cellar door that has a distinctive architectural design. Alain began the domaine, which is in Roche Vineuse, back in 1993, and Sylvaine joined afterwards. Now they 35 hectares of vines, which they’ve been farming organically since 2021.
THE WINES
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Aligoté 2022
The Aligoté comes from Igé. Stainless steel. Stony, fine and mineral with a smoky edge to the grapefruit and pear fruit. Nice intensity with ripe stone fruits and nice acidity. A rich style of Aligoté but with detail and finesse. 91/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon-Villages 2022
From Chaintré in the south of the Mâconnais, with sandy soils, the old riverbed of the Saône. Delicate and fine with a nice mineral, tingly edge to the lemon and mandarin fruit. Quite pure and with good focus and freshness. Delicate. 90/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon-Igé Château London 2022
West-facing. Clay and limestone with some iron. Nice intensity here with bright lemony fruit, a touch of pear, and lovely mineral intensity with good concentration to the grapes. Very mineral and expressive with a saltiness on the finish. Fruity, complex and mineral. Malolactic was blocked this year to preserve freshness. 93/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon La Roche Vineuse 2023
Steel tank. 30-40 year old vines. Clay/limestone, facing south. Lovely depth here: mealy and generous with some lemony brightness and peachy richness. Round, grapey and rich but finishing fresh and quite salty. Lovely texture. 92/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuissé 2022
This is from a young vineyard, facing north, in Solutré. Nice brightness here with a stony, mineral edge to the lively citrus fruit. Has nice intensity with a slight salinity and a nice acid line. Supple and fresh with such a mineral edge. Fine. 92/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon Solutré-Pouilly 2022
36 hectares in all in this village. They only make 1000 bottles of this wine. East facing at 300 m. Nutty and mineral with a stony undercurrent to the pear and peach fruit. The oak has some impact here, adding richness and depth and a little aromatic sweetness. Give this time to settle down because there is lovely mineral depth here. 93/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon La Roche Vineuse Vieilles Vignes 2022
From barrel 15% new. 70 year old vines. 35 hl/ha. This is detailed and mineral with nice pear and white peach fruit, with some subtle nutty hints. Has lovely weight and some fine spiciness on the finish. Some richness but also good balance with a sweet finish. 92/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuissé Climats 2021
North-facing plots. Honey, minerals and mandarins on the nose. The palate is quite delicate with pear and mandarin fruit, with some mineral notes and a twist of lemon and honey on the finish, with some saltiness. Has a long finish. 93/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Au Vignerais 2021
This is the largest 1er cru of solutre at 13 ha, south facing. 100 year old vines, in shallow top soil, then straight into limestone. Powerful and intense with a profound mineral core as well as pear, peach and citrus. There’s a harmony here with a fresh mineral, spicy finish. Really lovely, with very well integrated oak that you can hardly notice. 95/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Mâcon-Igé Rouge 2022
Gamay in stainless steel, after machine harvesting. They have 1 ha of Gamay and 2 ha of Pinot Noir. East-facing with iron-rich clay and limestone. Juicy, tart and bright with pure, vivid redcurrant and raspberry fruit. Crisp and energetic with lovely acidity and energy. Bright and expressive with some structure. 91/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2022
Juicy and vivid with nice bright fruit. Has cherry and raspberry with a sweet core to the fruit, showing a bit of crunch. Lovely sweet fruit here with a twist of raspberry jam sweetness giving it real appeal. 91/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Esus Bourgogne Rouge 2021
This is a Celtic god. Pinot Noir from a 1 ha plot in La Roche Vineuse, matured in barrique. Pruned by cordon to limit the quantity. Delicate and fine with a sappy green edge to the cherry and strawberry fruit. Finely laced structure with some nice tannins and then a bit of oak creeping in. Very refined with nice bright fruit and a fine texture. Give the oak time to settle down and this will be sensational. 94/100
Sylvaine first made this wine in 2020, as she’s intolerant to sulfites.
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Eostre Mâcon-Igé Sans Soufre Ajouté Blanc 2020
14% alcohol. This is rich and appley with bold pear and peach notes, showing some nuts and honey. Broad and rich with real intensity, and a soft mealy mid-palate. Has a nice mineral finish amidst the richly honeyed fruit and voluminous mouthfeel. 91/100
Domaine Sylvaine & Alain Normand Bourgogne Eostre Mâcon-Igé Sans Soufre Ajouté Rouge 2020
Gamay. Chalky and mineral with sweet cherries and raspberries, with a sour cherry edge and a hint of apple. Some spicy, herbal hints on the nose, but also some lovely pure red fruits. Nice cherry notes. There’s an earthy beetroot edge. Appealing. 88/100
