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May be past its peak
The 2022 Mâconnais season was exceptionally hot and dry, yet avoided the overripe, roasted characteristics of 2020. Yields recovered fully after the disastrous 2021 spring frosts. The vintage delivered immediate generosity and plush yellow fruits while miraculously retaining acid freshness. It produced wines destined for immediate drinking pleasure rather than extended cellaring.
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Style: Balance, Length, Intensity, Complexity: these are the uncompromising pillars by which any serious wine is measured. The Domaine Trouillet Saint-Véran 2022 presents a clear structural profile anchored by 13.0% ABV. The balance is quite harmonious, leaning heavily on lively crisp Granny Smith apple acidity that prevents the generous vintage from tasting flabby, though the fruit and acid sometimes run in parallel rather than fully integrating. Intensity is moderate; it is communicative rather than profound. In the glass, it shows a pale straw hue. The nose progression begins with tense Meyer lemon and faint honeysuckle blossom before moving into crushed oyster shell and wet river stone. The palate entry is vivid and linear, carrying taut energy. The mid-palate reveals Bosc pear, white peach, raw almond, green melon, and a distinctly saline mineral core. Complexity is the limiting factor here, offering a coherent but strictly dual-toned chorus of citrus and simple minerality rather than a multi-layered symphonic progression. The tannin texture is non-existent as expected for this white, but there is a phenolic grip resembling faint grapefruit pith. The length is decisively medium, fading pleasantly but rapidly after fifteen seconds, marking this as an agreeable village wine rather than an overachiever. The evolution in the glass brings out a waxy lemon rind character but no real tertiary depth. In terms of typicity, it is textbook Mâconnais Chardonnay: a touch sunnier and rounder than Chablis, yet lacking the toasted hazelnut opulence of the Côte de Beaune. This is a wine of straightforward energy and clean linearity, relying on its taut acid wire to carry the fruit. It shows precise cut but lacks the depth required to push it into the upper echelons of modern Burgundy. Who this wine is NOT for: collectors seeking a profound, intellectual Chardonnay to lay down for a decade, or fans of heavy, butter-and-oak New World expressions. What they would trade off by buying it is genuine palate density and secondary aromatic development, as this remains firmly in the simple, primary fruit spectrum. A buyer seeking more tension and layered complexity at a similar price point might be better served by looking slightly further north to a serious premier cru from the Chablis region, such as those from Domaine Louis Michel, which offer sharper focus and superior aging potential.
Alcohol: 12.5%
Wine Spectator: 87/100
Robert Parker: 88/100
James Suckling: 88/100
Vinous: 88/100
Decanter: 89/100
Temperature: 10 to 12 C (50 to 54 F)
Decanting: 30 minutes. Initially simple, brief aeration unlocks subtler white floral notes and integrates the wet-stone minerality.
Food Pairing:
Production Notes:
Vineyard Details:
• 88 Points James Suckling
• HVE Level 3 Certification
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