2022 Domaine de Thalie, Mâcon-Bray “Les Pierres Levées” White Burgundy, France.
Another new and delicious discovery, is Domaine de Thalie’s brilliant Mâcon-Bray, made from all Chardonnay that was fermented all natural with indigenous yeasts and lees aged for close to 12 months, making for expressive old vine white Burgundy. Handcrafted by Peter Gierszewski, an exciting and rising talent in the Mâcconias, this pale golden Les Pierres Levées, which comes from western facing slopes, up at 350 meters, on marnes soils, shows off pretty white flowers, lemony toned citrus, a touch of peach and pear, plus saline infused stones, mineral notes, clove spice and hazel with an elegant and transparent medium bodied palate. Using most stainless vats, for the whites, usually, Gierszewski has been exploring some combination of amphora and larger demi-muid, with this vintage seeing stainless steel and clay amphora, to promote the wine’s freshness and sense of place, with the cooler exposure capturing depth and retaining brisk acidity. I really enjoyed this wine and its chalky/steely elements giving a thrill, much like a Chablis, and it will go great with seafoods and or soft farm creamy cheeses.
The Domaine de Thalie, all new to me, founded by Peter Gierszewski in 2009, is located in the hills close to Cluny, and its famous Abbey, in the northwest of the Mâcconias region close to the point where Pinot Noir gives way to Gamay, or Burgundy fades to Beaujolais. Winegrower, Peter Gierszewski was originally a wine merchant in France for close to a decade before switching from behind the counter to the cellar, making the unlikely move into winemaking, bringing his belief in natural wines and organic farming with him to his tiny vineyard area which sees a mix of the classic clay and limestone soils with some granite, that’s common in the Gamay zones of Beaujolais. In 2014, Gierszewski started the conversation to biodynamics and it looks like the results have been hugely beneficial to the wines, as this brilliant Chardonnay bottling shows with its energy and concentration. Imported to California by Pepite Wines, who have a real interesting collection of artisan producers, with a focus on the more natural of winemakers like Gierszewski. Intriguingly Domaine de Thalie also does Pinot Noir, Gamay and uniquely for the region a Syrah wine, plus a small batch of sparkling wine, all of which I look forward to trying!
($36 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive