Chasselas Maison Carree 2023

Chasselas Maison Carree, biodynamic wine, unfiltered, slightly cloudy appearance, clean elegant fruits, leesy texture, superb balance.  This is one of those white wines which everyone will like.  It is light to medium in body but has lovely texture partly from the lees ageing.  The delicate stone fruits are wrapped in a little creamy malo character.  The acidity provides delightful freshness.  A gorgeous dry white which would work with fish but has the body and depth for poultry, mountain cheeses, terrines and pates.

La Maison Carree,  Jean-Denis Perrochet, his wife Christine and son Alexandre run this tiny Biodynamic farm in  the North-West corner of Switzerland right on the border with the Jura. The wine making in the family dates back to the 17th century but it was Jean-Dennis who took the direction of Biodynamic.  

This beautiful region is relatively unknown and produces wines with a link both to France and Switzerland.  At La Maison Carree, their natural approach has earned them a lot of respect and attention.  Jean-Denis has championed sustainable farming in a region where natural and organic wine making has not always worked well and produced good results.

The vineyards can mostly be found surrounding the village of Auvernier, just west of Neuchâtel, with one parcel to the east named Hauterive. They gave 10 hectares in total.  The vines grow on gentle slopes rising from Lake Neuchâtel up towards the Swiss Jura mountains.

The terroir is predominantly limestone, though each parcel has a distinctive difference. Some have deeper marl and clay soils and some shallow iron rich top soil.  The differences in terroir are reflected in the grapes and wines.  The Chasselas for example on deep marl soil, the Pinot Noir on clay and limestone. 

These are sensational terroir wines of great class and finesse.  As an alternative to a Burgundy, top Jura wine or Valais, they work perfectly.  For the gastronomy of said regions, they are superb.  A note on the Pinots, both Gris and Noir, a little more expensive but absolutely beautiful.