Altesse
At a Glance
- Variety: Altesse
- Size: 0.17 ha (0.42 ac)
- Terroir: From Montagnieu, Bugey, southwest-facing, cool site, hard limestone bedrock.
- Viticulture: Purchased grapes, organic (not certified), 45-60 hl/ha.
- Vinification: Pressed with a pneumatic press for 1.5 hours, settled for 12 hours at 10 degrees C, 60-day ambient yeast fermentation and aging for 12-15 months in 228 and 500 L used barrels, full malolactic conversion, aged for an additional 3-5 months in tank, no fining, light filtration, SO2 added (if any) when racked to tank and before bottling (20-30 ppm total at bottling).
Additional Info
Seiichi first visited the Bugey with his friend Nathalie Tollot (Domaine Tollot-Beaut). He remained friends with the growers at the domaine they visited and, in 2016, when Burgundy suffered such bad frost that there was no Chardonnay to purchase, Seiichi asked if he could purchase some Altesse. He makes the wine in the Bugey. It is not just any Altesse. It comes from the little-known appellation of Montagnieu, a very steep terroir that is exceptional.
SO2: No added SO2 in 2022.