Discovering the Mâconnais (13) Domaines Auvigue
Website: https://www.loron.fr/en/en-domaines-auvigue/
Auvigue is the jewel in the crown of Maison Jean Loron, which is one of the oldest and biggest wineries in Beaujolais and southern Bourgogne. Francis Auvigue, great grandfather of the current boss Sylvain Brenas-Auvigue, created a negociant business in 1946 under the Auvigue name to promote the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation, which was recognized in 1936.
Francis left his family estate in Solutré in the hands of his son (Sylvain’s grandfather) and moved to Charnay-les-Mâcon to open a small négoce in partnership with vineyard-owning friends. In the 1970s his grandsons Jean-Pierre and Michel Auvigue took over the business, and also started buying vines in Pouilly-Fuissé.
Sylvain took over from his uncles in 2016. In 2017, with Maison Loron, they bought the current location, a domaine in Fuissé with 6.5 hectares of vineyards. Auvigue now owns 8 hectares of vineyards in Pouilly-Fuissé, but they buy grapes for their Mâcon wines: they don’t have any plots there.
They are gradually shifting to organic viticulture for their domaine wines. They are also planting trees around the vines to introduce biodiversity. They use wild yeasts and full malolactic fermentation.
THE WINES
Auvigue Mâcon-Chardonnay Vignes de Chassipol 2023
50 year old vines. Stainless steel, aged on lees for 8 months. Lovely balance here: sweet citrus and pear fruit with freshness and a crystalline quality. Such a fine-laced chalky texture with good acidity. Lovely purity and precision here with great texture and finesse. 93/100
Auvigue Mâcon-Fuissé 2022
There are just 40 hectares of Mâcon-Fuissé. There are some schist soils here. This is complex and lively with a stony, mineral edge to the fresh lemony fruit. Bright and delicate with such energy and lively acidity. Fruity, fine and precise with beautiful energy and intensity. Finishes stony and bright. 94/100
Auvigue Mâcon-Solutré-Pouilly 2022
At the foot of the rock of Solutré. Delicate and lemony but with some nice crystalline pear and peach notes, with a hint of apricot richness. Fresh with really good acidity and a stony, mineral finish. There’s a sense of elegance here with a sweet pear and apple finish. Very stylish. 93/100
Auvigue Saint-Véran Les Poncetys 2022
Marne soils with 15% slope in Davayé. 80% stainless steel, 20% new oak barrel. 70+ year old vines, hand-picked. Nice and energetic with good acidity, showing precise citrus fruit with very fine spice and toast notes. Chalky, mineral and bright on the palate with great precision and energy, showing a tangy, electric finish. 94/100
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé Les Villages 2021
70% fermented and aged in oak, with 20% new oak, the rest in tank. In conversion to organics. Powerful with some apple and cabbage hints as well as pear, lemon and apricot. Really fruity and expressive with good energy, and some mandarin hints on the palate. Such focus and precision here, but also some generosity. Has a long, fine spicy finish with a tapering, mineral finish. Lovely wine. 94/100
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé La Petite Parcelle 2021
This comes from a single plot in the hamlet of Pouilly, surrounded by premier crus. This vineyard wasn’t given 1er Cru status because of its exposure (NE, which is interesting, but the INAO didn’t like it). Mix of different soils, with some flint as well as clay/limestone. 60 year old vines. 50% stainless steel, the other half in 300 litre barrels, no new. Powerful and intense with rich pear and peach fruit, some toast and bread, and spicy citrus notes. Lovely depth and intensity here with some crystalline character and a lovely tension between richness and freshness. So complex and broad yet focused and mineral. 95/100
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Au Vignerais 2021
One of the largest premier crus with 19 hectares. 65-70 year old vines. 50% stainless steel, 50% oak, 10% new. Nice weight with concentrated nutty, stony, mineral notes. High concentration of limestone (this used to be called Les Crays). Lovely texture and weight here with pear and peach and some crystalline citrus fruit. Has some mealy character with a tapering citrus finish. Very refined. 94/100
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru La Frérie 2022
At 4 ha this is one of the smallest 1er crus. Deep red clay soils with less limestone, vinified 100% in oak, 15% new. Fresh, fine, fruity and linear with bright lemon and pear fruit, showing a touch of aniseed and a lively acid line. Pure and incisive with lovely direct fruit, showing nice intensity and some elegance as well as power. 93/100
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru Aux Chailloux 2021
This is south-facing with a high percentage of flint in the soils. 100% oak, with 20% new. Nice texture here with fine, pure citrus fruit and some pear and white peach, with good precision and fo3cus. This is elegant and fine with some brightness and a slight salinity, showing real finesse and a touch of white pepper. Very fine. 94/100
THE MÂCONNAIS
