Philippe Valette

Philippe Valette represents the third generation of vignerons to run this 8.5 ha estate (15 ha if we count the vines of his brother Baptiste) located in Chaintré, a village on the border between the Mâconnais and Beaujolais appellations. The estate has been cultivated according to the principles of biodynamics since 1992 – not that it’s certified as such. The young rebel vignerons they once were always refused to pay for the freedom to work the land well and respect the living. As the saying goes, “for they shall inherit the earth”… The entire estate is focused towards sublimating one single grape: Chardonnay. Blessed with an abundance of old vines, they work to attain an optimal level of grape maturity, and for the rest, they keep it simple and natural... Certain cuvées may even be subject to 8 years of ageing, like their Clos de Monsieur Noly. A level of density and complexity seldom reached in this region, sometimes complimented by beautiful oxidative notes, which, alas, are not always understood by the uninitiated.