Beaujolais Blanc 'Les Vignes de la Roche' 2023, Château de Lavernette

Situated at the exact intersection of the Mâconnais and the Beaujolais, Château de Lavernette presents a rare, original, and vibrant white Burgundy-style Chardonnay with the Beaujolais Blanc 'Les Vignes de la Roche' 2023. Xavier and Kerrie de Boissieu demonstrate with this biodynamic cuvée just how exciting Chardonnay can be on the border of granitic and limestone soils.

In the glass, the wine shows a bright straw-yellow hue. The nose is surprisingly intense and floral, featuring fragrant notes of linden blossom, fresh citrus zest, ripe white peach, and nectarine. On the palate, this Beaujolais Blanc is playful, light-footed, and remarkably refined. The entry combines energetic mineral freshness with a silky Burgundian mouthfeel, balancing soft buttery nuances with lively citrus acidity and a crystalline mineral finish.

Key Highlights

• Rating: 4 / 5 Stars (Vivino Rating 2023 vintage).
• Terroir: 100% Chardonnay sourced from 60-year-old vines in 'Les Vignes de la Roche' (2.08 hectares), featuring a warm south/south-east exposure on clay, sand, and granite soils.
• Winemaking & Ageing: Hand-harvested with strict selection and direct pressing of whole clusters. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, followed by 20 months of ageing in concrete egg-shaped vats on fine lees (sur lies fines).
• Sustainability: Fully certified organic and biodynamic (Demeter).
• Tasting Profile: Energetic, delicate, and highly floral. Notes of linden blossom, citrus zest, white peach, nectarine, subtle butteriness, and mineral precision.
• Ageing Potential: Accessible and bursting with fruit now, with the structural balance to drink gracefully over 4 to 8 years.

Food Pairing

• Aperitif: Festive and refreshing, serving as an exceptional summer aperitif.
• Fish & Seafood: Excellent paired with summer salads topped with grilled prawns or crayfish, as well as tuna à la plancha.
• Spiced Cuisine: Outstanding alongside North African or Middle Eastern dishes like a fragrant chicken or duck tagine with preserved lemon.
• Serving Suggestion: Best served chilled between 10°C and 12°C in generous white wine glasses.

The Terroir of Les Vignes de la Roche

The 'Les Vignes de la Roche' vineyard sits on a favored slope along the boundary between the Mâconnais and the Beaujolais. Its unique soil combination of clay, sand, and weathered granite forces 60-year-old Chardonnay vines to root deeply, imparting remarkable mineral vitality and saline freshness to the wine.

About Château de Lavernette

Château de Lavernette boasts a rich heritage dating back to the 16th-century monks of Tournus Abbey. Today, Xavier and Kerrie de Boissieu combine their talents on this historic family estate. Farming fully biodynamically since 2007 (Demeter-certified), their profound respect for nature yields pristine, energetic terroir wines of remarkable precision.