Domaine André Bonhomme Viré-Clessé Vieilles Vignes 2023

This is southern Burgundy at its most compelling: richer and rounder than Chablis, but with far more energy and complexity than most people expect from the Maconnais. The Vieilles Vignes bottling draws from Bonhomme's oldest plots -- vines ranging from 70 to over 90 years old -- and the depth shows. White peach, ripe pear, acacia blossom, and a touch of toasted hazelnut from lees aging, then a palate that is both creamy and mineral, finishing with a real saline lift.

Quick Facts

• Appellation: AOC Viré-Clessé, Maconnais, Burgundy, France
• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Farming: Organic
• ABV: 13.5%

Tasting Profile

• Aroma: White peach, ripe pear, acacia blossom, raw honeycomb, toasted hazelnut, wild fennel
• Body: Medium-full
• Fruit: Generous and sun-warmed; salted pear, ripe honeydew, golden fig
• Oak: Subtle; lees aging adds texture and a hint of crème brûlée without dominating
• Texture: Creamy and round, balanced by a persistent mineral thread and saline lift
• Finish: Long, layered, and mineral-driven with real depth

Why We Love It

Old-vine Burgundy at this price point, from a producer of this caliber, is genuinely hard to find. Wines of similar quality, elegance, and concentration from estates further north in Burgundy's Cote d'Or typically cost significantly more. Bonhomme is one of the appellation's founding figures, and this cuvee represents the estate's most concentrated expression of what Viré-Clessé can be. It drinks beautifully now and will only gain complexity with time.

Winemaking

The Vieilles Vignes is sourced from seven separate, east-facing hillside Chardonnay vineyards, each planted more than fifty years ago, above the villages of Viré and Clessé in the Maconnais. Farming is entirely organic, with grapes hand-harvested from 70 to 95-year-old vines rooted in gray and red clay soils with limestone rock inclusions. Vinification involves gentle lees aging to add texture and complexity without masking the terroir.

Serving & Pairing

Serve at 50-54F. Roast chicken with herbs, creamy risotto, pan-seared salmon, lobster bisque, or a well-aged semi-soft cheese. This is a wine that earns a seat at the dinner table.

Estate Overview

The estate was founded in 1956 by André Bonhomme, who played a major role in establishing the Maconnais as a serious fine wine region -- as a pioneer of estate bottling, co-founder of the Vignerons Indépendants de Saone-et-Loire, and co-initiator of the Viré-Clessé AOC's official recognition. The estate now holds some of the oldest vines in the entire appellation, with certain plots planted as early as 1923. André Bonhomme's granddaughter continues the work today, maintaining the same commitment to organic farming and minimal intervention that has defined the domaine for nearly seven decades.