Nicholas Maillet, Mâcon-Verzé (Burgundy, France) 2017

 Though the 2017 vintage in Burgundy was stylistically inconsistent for reds, the white Burgundies were generally better and more consistent.   And that’s true for the white wines from the Mâconnais.  Fortunately, and luckily for consumers, Maillet recently has started bottling their wines instead of selling them to the local co-op.  According to Polaner’s website, Maillet works organically and biodynamically with natural yeast.  The grapes come from 85-year old vines.  Though priced above most wines from the Mâconnais, its quality is well above most wines from that area as well.  It shows the heights to which wines from the Mâconnais can rise.  Raised entirely in stainless steel, it has depth and complexity usually associated with barrel-aged wines.  The lack of oak aging allows the fruit and especially, the minerality, to shine — and it does.  The citrus acidity in the finish amplifies the wines stoniness and enhances its allure.