{"product_id":"domaine-michel-vire-clesse-tradition-2023","title":"Domaine Michel Vire-Clessé Tradition 2023","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe Land\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe Mâconnais [\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003emah-koh-NAY] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eis southern Burgundy, but it is still unmistakably Burgundy: limestone-rich slopes, clay-limestone topsoils, favorable exposures, and elevations that suit Chardonnay extremely well. From The geology is dominated by brown and calcic limestone, often mixed with shallow soils formed from weathered limestone bedrock, and in Viré-Clessé [\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003evee-ray kleh-say] \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003especifically, are some of the best sites.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eWhat separates it from the Côte de Beaune is \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003ea different shape and scale. The Côte de Beaune is smaller, more prestigious, and more obsessively parcelized, with centuries of market attention focused on famous villages and climats. The Mâconnais is broader, hillier, and generally warmer, which means Chardonnay here often shows a little more generosity and fruit up front, while still retaining the mineral line that comes from limestone soils.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThat is exactly why it can be such good value. You still get serious limestone-grown Chardonnay from historic Burgundian ground, but without the pricing pressure attached to Meursault, Puligny, or Chassagne. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eDomaine Michel’s Tradition bottling is the estate’s principal cuvée, drawn from old vines grown in clay-limestone soils around the village of Cray. That terroir gives the wine its shape: enough texture and ripeness to feel generous, but with a limestone core that keeps everything focused, bright, and precise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThis is 100% Chardonnay, fermented and aged in stainless steel to preserve purity and site expression. There are no commercial yeasts and no chaptalization, and both fermentation and élevage are carried out under temperature-controlled conditions. The result is a wine that feels pure and crystalline rather than worked over: clean orchard fruit, citrus, white flowers, a subtle chalkiness, and a bright, clean finish. There is no oak here and no heaviness. This is the kind of bottle that can convert Chardonnay skeptics because it shows the grape with clarity, energy, and freshness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eThe People\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eThe Michel family has been established in Cray and cultivating vines there since at least 1850, making them one of the longstanding families of this corner of the Mâconnais. Following Marcel Michel, the domaine took an important step forward in 1970 when the family began bottling its own wines, with the aim of fully capturing the character of this terroir rather than selling fruit or wine anonymously. Since 1996, Franck Michel and his nephew Vincent have led the estate, with Franck overseeing the cellar and Vincent the vineyards, while Denis Michel remains part of the broader family operation. Today the domaine farms with a clear sense of continuity: traditional in outlook, serious about quality, and deeply tied to the identity of Viré-Clessé.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s2\"\u003eFood Pairing:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBest with roast chicken, seafood, creamy pastas, and simply prepared dishes with butter, lemon, or fresh herbs. It has enough richness to handle fuller flavors, but still stays fresh and lifted with lighter flavors. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Voyager Wine Merchants","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48894397710559,"sku":null,"price":31.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P4141329.jpg?v=1776214184","url":"https:\/\/denverwinemerchant.com\/products\/domaine-michel-vire-clesse-tradition-2023","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}