Maranges: These understated white wines are every bit as good as their famous neighbors
Six white wines from Maranges that prove you can enjoy excellent wines from the Côte de Beaune without breaking the bank. White fruit, citrus, and freshness: our top picks.
A wine that seems shy at first but becomes more expressive as you get to know it: passion fruit, spring flowers, vanilla, and hot coffee. On the palate, it confirms that it needs to be decanted to express itself fully, after which it reveals a brilliant character. Round and elegant, with a salty finish that lingers. It’s a wine that calls for a meal without a doubt.
A lovely wine that remains silky and delicate, with just the right amount of roundness and woody notes. The toasty note introduces a beautiful bouquet of peach, pear, curry, and dried herbs. On the palate, the aging lends the wine body and a hint of pastry (apricot tart). The finish is long and briny. The wine will age elegantly with decanting or a few years of cellaring.
Domaine Grachet-Duchemin - Maranges Premier Cru La Fussière 2024
The nose offers a captivating, pastry-like bouquet centered on orange blossom, clementine, passion fruit, honey, and toasted almonds. The texture is very well-balanced, with just the right amount of silkiness from the fruit, body from the aging, and freshness. The finish is lingering with a hint of hazelnut. Harmonious and understated, it’s perfect for enjoying a pleasant moment that leaves you wanting more.
Nicolas Perrault - Maranges Premier Cru La Fussière 2023
A rich and luminous nose: white fruits, salted butter caramel, orange, and mango. The texture is robust, yet with good structure and woody notes that add complexity. The wine is still very young and will need time to reveal its great potential.
The wine has a southern character. It is ripe and appealing, with aromas of elderflower, peach, vanilla, and nutmeg. On the palate, it’s a fresh wine with intense notes of citrus and quince, as well as subtle, well-integrated woody aromas. The body is still a bit tight, confirming its youth. For its own good, it’s best to let it age for another year before enjoying it.
Edmond Monnot et Fils - Maranges Premier Cru La Fussière 2023
This wine offers a successful expression of a Burgundian Chardonnay, with an initial nose of toasty reduction that then opens up to aromas of quince, pineapple, hazelnut, and nutmeg. The palate is smooth and pleasing, retaining a lovely fruity profile. The finish is clean and lingers on the palate. A delightful wine.
