My Tasting Note (TK):A lemon yelow core, slightly hazy.The perfume of thenose is medium+ with some initial reduction and popcorn that blew off after a few minutes, followed by notes of red apple, ginger, lime skin, and some pineapple pith. Medium bodied, med/med+ acidity, med+ palate intensity, again nice elegance with a long, pretty finish.

Vineyard name:En Bessy, in the hills outside Dijon
Soil type:Clay-limestone, with marl underneath
Vine age:40 years old
Vineyard size:2.5 hectares
Exposition:Southern exposure, 370m
Vinification:Hand Harvested, native yeast fermentation entirely in barrel with no added SO2. minimal to no racking.
Elevage:10-12 months in used barrels, bottles unfined and unfiltered

The Coteaux de Dijon Chardonnay comes from vines at the top and base of a 2.5 hectare block of vines. The vineyards around Dijon are often thought of as Pinot Noir country, but Soyard shows that Chardonnay can thrive just as well and produce some compelling, lively wines with a unique profile that is 100% Burgundy but also unlike anything else.

Marc Soyard, a vigneron who trained for six years with Jean-Yves Bizot, decided in 2012 to set off on his own adventure. He acquired some vines in Villers-la-Faye in the Hautes-Ctes-de-Nuits 15 ares, which is to say, next to nothing! But hed have to make do, given the prices that have unfortunately resulted from property speculation in Burgundy! Then, in 2013, the Dijon regional authority handed him over the management of 8 hectares of 30 years old vines. The property is located west of Dijon, just 10 km from the city center. Marc has been vinifying his juices at Domaine de la Cras for almost 10 years now! Natural wines, for high-end cuves that are highly sought after, and which never cease to amaze us. The desire of Marc was to yank Burgundys blanket of prestige north a bit to include Dijon too. Thanks to his meticulous work, a biodynamic approach and top-notch aging, the gamble has paid off!