A clear, fresh Chardonnay from southern Burgundy that reflects the terroir of the En Chatenay climat with vibrant minerality, citrus freshness and saline precision.
Bottler: Bret Brothers/La Soufrandière, 125 rue Aux Bourgeois, 71680 Vinzelles / France
In the glass
Colour
Bright golden yellow
Nose
Preserved lemons, green pears and seashells meet broom, a slightly waxy note, dried foliage as well as freshly shelled hazelnuts and almonds.
Palate
Mouth-watering with lemon, lime and salt, chalky and iodine notes, green herbs and lemongrass; vibrantly mineral, juicy and with a long finish.
Character
Crystal-clear, powerful and precise – a Chardonnay with tension, freshness and depth that authentically captures the 2021 vintage and the north-east-facing limestone vineyard site.
Pairing
Langoustines with lemongrass and lime, red mullet with yellow Thai curry or courgette risotto with an almond-lemon persillade.
Notes
From a 0.69-hectare plot of 55-year-old vines, farmed biodynamically (Demeter-certified), spontaneously fermented and aged for 17 months in used barrels and neutral vats – minimally sulphured (27 mg/l) and with a pH of 3.16 that underscores its remarkable freshness.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Pale golden yellow — clear and luminous, entirely in keeping with the cool 2021 vintage.
Nose
A Chardonnay of crystalline freshness: salted lemon, green pear and oyster shell meet a hint of broom. Beneath lies a fine waxy note, dry foliage, as well as freshly shelled hazelnuts and almonds.
Palate
Intensely mouth-watering: lemon, lime and salt, accompanied by chalky and iodine nuances, green herbs and a touch of lemongrass. The wine fills the palate with energy and bell-clear, bright aromas — vibrant, taut and of remarkable tension.
Finish
Long, juicy and consistently saline — a finale that makes the cool origin of the parcel palpable right to the end.
Terroir & origin
The parcel in the Climat En Chatenay is tiny: just 0.69 hectares, situated at 250 metres’ altitude with a north-easterly exposure, below the Roche de Vergisson. Reddish-brown clay over limestone defines the soil; the vines are 55 years old. The Bret brothers share this vineyard site with the Comtes Lafon. Domaine La Soufrandière in Vinzelles has been run by Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret since 2000, joined by their brother Marc-Antoine in 2010 — farmed biodynamically and Demeter-certified.
Grape variety & vinification
Pure Chardonnay, hand-harvested on 25 September 2021. Whole-bunch pressing, wild fermentation, then 17 months of maturation — initially in used barrels, and after blending in neutral vats. Full malolactic fermentation, with only a light sulphuring before bottling (27 mg/l total sulphur). A pH of 3.16 accounts for the electrifying freshness.
Food recommendations
The saline, citrus-driven energy of this wine calls for seafood and bright, aromatic cuisine: langoustines “en buisson” with young garlic, lemongrass and lime, red mullet with yellow Thai curry, coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves, or a courgette risotto with almond-lemon persillade.
Special features
The name “Zen” hits the mark: a wine of cool composure and inner clarity, drawing its strength not from opulence but from focus. Salt, chalk, citrus — nothing more is needed.
EN 
DE 
FR 
IT 
