One of my favorite wines in 2019 was Domaine Cheveau Macon Fuissé (Burgundy, France) 2016 “Les Grandes Bruyères” (Rosenthal, $22). This succulent Burgundian white wine exudes both 
liveliness and quiet charm, and it certainly offers excellent value for the price. The limestone and clay soils in which the vines grow partly explain Les Grande Bruyère’s distinctive character, but of course dirt alone does not a great wine make — the age of the vines is also a factor here. The Grandes Bruyères vines are almost half a century old, which can impact flavor, as older vines tend to produce fewer grape bunches with more concentrated flavors.
At this estate, which is now being run by the third generation of the Cheveau family, all harvesting is done by hand, and Domaine Cheveau wines are fermented and vinified parcel-by-parcel. After fermentation, the wine is raised in stainless steel but left in contact with the fine lees for a year.
Domaine Cheveau’s white wines are made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, as is true for 
almost all Burgundian white wines. The small Macon-Fuissé appellation is located on a slope beneath the more famous Pouilly-Fuissé district, whose wines tend to be a tad richer. But compared to Burgundy’s iconic Chablis, Macon-Fuissé’s Chardonnay is generally somewhat fruitier and less acidic. “Les Grandes Bruyères” is a subtle rather than an explosive wine, delighting the senses with a framework of fresh flowers and luscious ripe fruit supported by a steely finish bristling with minerality.
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