B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
“2022 is an extremely fine vintage”
Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy
Crafted by a small artisan producer in southern Burgundy, the elegant 90 pt. 2022 Domaine Damien Martin Macon Verze will thrill Burgundy fans seeking a value-packed everyday pour, balancing silky textured aromatic fruit and crisp, racy acidity and garnering top scores competing with the region’s higher profile producers at a fraction of the price.
Described as an up and coming Burgundy region that has been “historically-undervalued” by Decanter’s Patrick Matthews, Damien Martin’s father Robert established his family domain with 2 ½ hectares of vineyards in the Maconnais in 1975, nearly three decades before prestigious Burgundy producer Domaine Leflaive chose to purchase Chardonnay vineyards in Verze in 2003. Working alongside his father since 2010, Damien Martin sustainably farms 20 hectares of Chardonnay vines throughout the Maconnais including the 3.5 hectare estate parcel in Macon-Verze, a regional appellation known for producing appealing golden Chardonnay wines with mineral-driven acidity. Situated in the center of the Maconnais valley on a long west-facing slope, Martin’s Chardonnay vines in Verze are planted high on a sloping hillside in chalky, limestone and marl soils, the warmer 2022 vintage yielding ripe stone fruit flavors and vibrant minerality. Fermenting mostly in stainless steel, winemaker Damien aged the 2022 Domaine Damien Martin Macon Verze in 90% stainless steel and 10% French oak barrels with about six months on the lees, yielding a transparent expression of bright Chardonnay fruit on a balanced backbone of acidity that’s equally appealing when sipped as an aperitif or paired with food.
Often referred to as Burgundy’s most humble region, Neal Martin of Vinous noted that in the Maconnais, “winemakers just make wine,” the appealing 90 pt. 2022 Domaine Damien Martin Macon Verze ready to remind Burgundy lovers and collectors of the simpler days when a delicious, well-crafted White Burgundy didn’t cost and arm and a leg. |