Domaine Sophie Cinier Macon-Verze 2022 - 750ml

Tasting Notes

From the limestone-rich slopes of the Mâconnais, Sophie Cinier crafts this expressive Chardonnay that captures the purity and freshness of southern Burgundy. The 2022 vintage shines with a pale gold color and aromas of white peach, ripe pear, lemon blossom, and a touch of almond. Subtle notes of acacia honey and wet stone hint at the wine’s finesse and terroir-driven character.

On the palate, it’s lively yet rounded, offering juicy orchard fruit flavors balanced by a crisp line of acidity. The gentle lees aging adds a silky texture and a whisper of brioche, while the finish is clean, mineral, and refreshingly persistent. This is a classic example of Mâcon-Verzé approachable, food-friendly, and beautifully balanced.

Winery Notes

Sophie Cinier took over the small family estate around Fuissé in the early 2000s (2000). Sophie's family has long-standing ties to the local vineyard: her grandfather's vines (planted in 1941) came back under her control in 1998, allowing her to put the estate back into operation.

Initially, Sophie sold her grapes to merchants, but from 2005 onwards, she began to vinify her first vintages herself (approximately 1,200 bottles). The first winemaking processes took place in the family winery, before gradually building their own facilities. The estate has since increased its surface area and its acquisition of plots, while maintaining an emphasis on quality, plot expression, and manual viticulture.

The estate is located in Fuissé, in the Mâconnais region (Burgundy). The dominant soils are calcareous, stony, with very white (limestone) plateaus particularly in the locality of Vers Crâs where very renowned old vines are located. The exposure is favorable, and the altitude varies according to the plots; local conditions (wind, coolness) are important for ripeness and aromatic tension.

Sophie also buys grapes or must (especially for certain appellations that she does not have in her own vineyard, for example Saint-Véran). 

The style they advocate is that of pure, taut, elegant, terroir-driven white wines with the potential to age. Sophie asserts that Pouilly-Fuissé benefits from aging if the winemaking allows it. She seeks to avoid excessive interventions: no stirring, control of lees, moderate use of new wood.

The estate combines vineyard ownership and trading (purchasing grapes or must to complete the range).