{"product_id":"jean-claude-bachelet-chassagne-montrachet-les-macherelles-2023","title":"Jean-Claude Bachelet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Macherelles 2023","description":"\u003ch3\u003eThe Land\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMacherelles is a premier cru vineyard on the eastern face of Chassagne-Montrachet's hillside, with full east exposure that brings morning light early and moderates afternoon heat. Within the context of the Bachelet range, Macherelles is consistently the most forward of the white premier crus on release — a function of its exposure and position on the slope, which tends toward freshness and early definition rather than the deeper, more brooding concentration of south-facing parcels. In 2023, the Bachelets opened harvest here on September 2nd, picking Macherelles among the first parcels of the vintage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Wine\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e100% Chardonnay, biodynamically farmed. Native yeast fermentation; aged 24 months in French oak barrel, predominantly in 456-liter vessels. In warmer vintages like 2023, the Bachelets crush the grapes rather than press them whole, introducing a light bitterness that compensates for naturally lower acidity and adds textural complexity. The 2023 vintage was the first certified organic by ECOCERT at the domaine; whites came in at 13-13.5%. The Macherelles is the entry point to Bachelet's white premier crus for good reason: white peach, ripe citrus, a clean almond finish, and the balance of texture and minerality that is what white Burgundy at this level is about. It can read slightly oaky and rich when young, but two winters in barrel on the lees means everything integrates with time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe People\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bachelet family has made wine from the hamlet of Gamay, just outside Saint-Aubin, since the early 17th century. Jean-Claude Bachelet, the patriarch who built the domaine's modern reputation, passed away in 2019. The estate is now run by his sons Benoît, whose first vintage here was 2000, and Jean-Baptiste, who joined in 2005. Together they oversee ten hectares split roughly evenly between red and white, with almost half the vines in Chassagne-Montrachet, 40% in Saint-Aubin, and the remainder in Puligny-Montrachet. Conversion to biodynamics began in 2012, and by 2016 all ten hectares were farmed biodynamically. The 2023 vintage marks the first Bachelet wines certified organic by ECOCERT. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts; the whites age 24 months in barrel, primarily in 456-liter vessels, giving them two winters in the cellar before bottling. A new cellar completed in Gamay gives the brothers the space to work with the same precision they apply in the vineyard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFood Pairing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeared scallops with beurre blanc and chives, roast chicken with a tarragon cream sauce, fresh pasta with truffles or wild mushrooms, or a ripe wedge of Brie de Meaux. The wine's texture and acidity are in the kind of easy, natural balance that makes Côte de Beaune white Burgundy worth seeking out — and at the premier cru level, worth keeping a few bottles for three to five years after release.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Old World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49694069096671,"sku":null,"price":165.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0439\/7436\/1248\/files\/P5310227.jpg?v=1780426206","url":"https:\/\/denverwinemerchant.com\/products\/jean-claude-bachelet-chassagne-montrachet-les-macherelles-2023","provider":"Denver Wine Merchant","version":"1.0","type":"link"}