Jean Thévenet is a legend in these parts and thankfully still pops up whenever we visit the cellar to taste. However it is Gautier, his son who has been running the domaine now for some time. The handover of knowledge and practices has been complete and the domaine continues to blaze a trail. The wines are fabulous, hand-crafted beauties, with extraordinary texture, complexity and impact. The Thevenet family continue to conjure up magic here in this corner of the Mâconnais. From old vines the comes impeccable fruit - some picked quite late in the season - it then undergoes very long slow fermentations that gently bubble on for weeks and it is this controlled approach which brings so much to the wines. These are esoteric but not odd - just fantastically enjoyable drinking that punch well above their weight.
As I reported last year, the 2020 Viré-Clessé Quintaine is a strong rendition of this cuvée. Exhibiting aromas of honeyed orchard fruit, lemon zest and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, with...(read more)
William Kelley, The Wine Advocate