2016 Guffens-Heynen, Macon Pierreclos Juliette et Les Vieilles de Chavigne

(14.3% alcohol but not a late-harvest wine; 50% new oak): More yellow than green. Ripe peach, hazelnut and a whiff of smoke on the nose; conveys a Côte d'Or-like richness. Fat, full-bodied, deep wine with captivating musky sweetness perfectly countered by firm acidity and a solid spicy spine. In its thick, bulletproof fruit and energy, this wine reminded me of a Kistler Chardonnay. Made entirely from free-run juice (and a crop level of about 34 hectoliters per hectare), this beauty finishes with superb length. Incidentally, Guffens planted the Juliette vines in 2003 (this cuvée also includes older vines), and he told me that they were stunted by the extreme dryness of that growing season and have always produced low crop levels.

The 2016 Mâcon-Pierreclos Le Chavigne Juliette et les Vieilles comes from a small vineyard on very poor stony soils (Juliette) mixed with the older vines from Chavigne, matured in 50% new oak. It has a crisp lime, citrus peel and crushed stone scented nose, the terroir coming through very clearly with hints of yellow flower developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a lightly spiced entry, a fine bead of acidity, harmonious and poised with green apples and citrus lemon mixed with ginger on the waxy-textured finish. This is a very involving, cerebral Mâconnais that will merit ageing if you cannot resist it in its youth. Tasted at Farr Vintners Verget/Guffens-Heynan tasting.