Beaune 1er cru Clos des Marconnets, Domaine Chanson 2022

With the backing of Champagne Bollinger since 1999, the management of Vincent Avenel and wine production in the hands of Jean-Pierre Confuron, Chanson is at the top of its game and able to exploit the full potential of its stellar range of vineyards. And what a vineyard holding it is with 45 ha of premier and grand cru sites including 25 ha of prime vineyards in the Beaune appellation. Confuron, himself coming from a family estate in Nuits-Saint-Georges, has brought with him the necessary rigour that requires hard pruning, organic methods (whenever feasible) and the separate vinification of each individual plot. He also has control of further vineyards under rental agreements which almost double production, harvesting the grapes with their own team being a key to good quality. All the grapes come into a specially chilled reception area in the cellars in Beaune, before vinification and barrel ageing in a labyrinth of cellars which includes the Tour des Filles (Girls' Tower) one of the five bastions that link Beaune’s town walls. The mini-château – a perfect town residence – is now offices and a venue for show-casing their delicious wines.