Why it matters
The producer
Romaric Chavy is the seventh generation of his family to work the vines. Domaine Chavy-Chouet spans nearly 13 hectares across Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Volnay and Pommard. The domaine's Bourgogne Aligoté Les Maréchaux comes from Meursault vines and places Aligoté at the centre of a named bottle.
Estate bottling began in 1982, when Romaric Chavy's grandfather started filling bottles after the family had supplied everything to the négoce. The domaine name carries another family turn. Chouet refers to Hubert's first wife, and some later vintages were labelled only Hubert Chavy when this became apparent. Romaric is restoring the Chavy-Chouet designation, returning the family name to the bottle.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
The Meursault parcels named for the domaine are Castets, Narvaux, Clos des Corvées de Citeaux, Charmes and Genevrières. A named parcel is a smaller vineyard address within a village, allowing the label to point to one specific piece of ground instead of the whole commune.
Les Maréchaux comes from vines grown in clay soil. Clay can retain moisture more readily than coarse stone, supporting a steadier water supply to the vine. The wine pairs that growing ground with Aligoté and its lively acidity.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The domaine uses lutte raisonnée viticulture, a measured approach that uses intervention when needed, alongside soil ploughing. The harvest is picked by hand with 30 to 40 workers over approximately ten days for the whole estate.
Romaric Chavy's winemaking philosophy prioritizes freshness and avoids a sweet vanilla taste. Les Maréchaux is aged for 12 months on lees in stainless steel tanks. Lees are spent yeast cells, and contact with them can build a rounder texture while stainless steel avoids oak flavour from the ageing vessel.
Wines to know
The range in view
The wines include Bourgogne Aligoté Les Maréchaux, a white Bourgogne Aligoté made from 100% Aligoté. The bottle carries one grape and one Meursault source under a regional appellation label, with a lively palate and subtle creaminess.
The nose shows Granny Smith apple, pear, mineral notes and white flowers. Citrus and lime bring a crisp, vibrant character, with a touch of salinity beneath the fruit.