2022 Les Faverelles "Le Nez de Muse" Vézelay AOC

The 2022 Les Faverelles "Le Nez de Muse" Vézelay AOC is a 100% Chardonnay from the Yonne department in northern Burgundy, fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and bottled without fining or filtration. The Vézelay appellation sits at a cooler latitude than the Côte d'Or, and the vines for this cuvée grow at the top of a limestone and clay hillside that lends the wine its mineral backbone and refreshing tension. The wine's name honors Muse, the estate dog who could distinguish organic vineyards from conventionally farmed plots by scent alone. Patrick Bringer and Isabelle Georgelin left two decades as Parisian booksellers to settle in Asquins, a small village where Isabelle now serves as mayor. They farm 6 hectares of certified organic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the entire village of Asquins holds organic certification, prohibiting chemicals and pesticides anywhere within the commune. The estate's commitment to organic viticulture extends from the vineyard through the cellar, with native-yeast fermentation and minimal intervention winemaking that allow the terroir and vintage to speak clearly. The cool northern climate of Vézelay preserves acidity and delivers wines with precision rather than weight. The 2022 vintage shows lemon, baked pear, and white peach on the nose with a delicate floral lift, while the palate is crisp, mineral, and quietly expressive with a clean finish. This is Burgundian Chardonnay with honesty and tension, stripped of oak and manipulation, and it pairs well with oysters, poached fish, fresh goat cheese, or roasted chicken with herbs. It's the kind of wine that disappears quickly at the table without announcing itself, which is exactly the point. Serve it cold, around 50 degrees, and let it open in the glass as it warms. This bottle is available for pickup at our Lincoln Park shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, for local Chicago delivery, or we can ship it anywhere in the country.