Jean-Claude Thevenet Macon Pierreclos

The Winemaker... Jean-Claude Thevenet is a third generation winemaker. His father was in the business of supplying of grapevine rootstocks, and his grandfather was the winemaker for the Chateau de Pierreclos. Thevenet's father began acquiring vineyards in 1950, and in 1971, when Jean-Claude was 17, they began to bottle their wine. Today Jean-Claude works with his two sons and makes some of the best wine in the Macon.

The Vineyards... The Thevenets farm 23 hectares in Macon. The vineyards are planted about half to Chardonnay between St. Veran and Macon-Villages Pierreclos; and the rest to Gamay and Pinot Noir in Macon and neighboring Beaujolais. The soil of his vineyards is composed of red clay and calcerous marl. The Maconnais district of Burgundy is known for “good values” south of the famous vineyards of the Cote d’ Or. It is mostly a white wine area producing lots of basic Bourgogne Blanc.

The Wines... Thevenet's white wines are made from Chardonnay from vines averaging 20 to 30 years old. All fruit is hand-harvested and vinified in stainless steel without oak aging, wines are bottled with light fining and filtration. His sparkling wine is made in the traditional method, and left to age on its lees for 12 to 18 months before disgorgement.