Saint-Véran AOC
Encyclopedia
Saint-Véran is an Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for white Burgundy wine
from the Mâconnais
subregion, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire
.
appelation. It is made up of the villages of Davayé
, Prissé
and Solutré-Pouilly
in the north, and Chânes
, Chasselas
, Leynes
, Saint-Amour
and Saint-Vérand
in the south. All these villages are located in the extreme south of the Mâconnais subregion and of the Burgundy wine region as a whole.
The AOC wine produced by the 6 Mâconnais communes of Chânes
, Chasselas
, Davayé
, Leynes
, Prissé
and Saint-Vérand was christened Saint-Véran
(without a final 'd'), the old spelling of the village's name.
(specific named vineyards) with the most desirable micro-climates, and which sometimes be found indicated on the labels together with the name Saint-Véran.
and flint. It can for example be matched with chicken in a cream sauce, veal sweetbreads or fish. Saint-Véran should be served at around 11°C and is best opened a few minutes before being served, allowing time for the full richness of its aroma to be released.
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
from the Mâconnais
Mâconnais
The Mâconnais district lies in the south of the Burgundy wine region in France, west of the River Saône. It takes its name from the town of Mâcon. It is best known as a source of good value white wines made from the Chardonnay grape; the wines from Pouilly-Fuissé are particularly sought-after....
subregion, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire is a French department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.-History:When it was formed during the French Revolution, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces of southern...
.
Geographical description
The geographical area of this appellation extends over 8 communes and is divided into two small islands separated from each other by the Pouilly-FuisséPouilly-Fuissé
Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré...
appelation. It is made up of the villages of Davayé
Davayé
Davayé is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Prissé
Prissé
Prissé is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
and Solutré-Pouilly
Solutré-Pouilly
Solutré-Pouilly is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France. It is known for a local geological feature, the Rock of Solutré.-Wine:...
in the north, and Chânes
Chânes
Chânes is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Chasselas
Chasselas, Saône-et-Loire
Chasselas is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Leynes
Leynes
Leynes is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Saint-Amour
Saint-Amour
Saint-Amour may refer to:* Saint-Amour-Bellevue, a commune in the Saône-et-Loire département in France* Saint-Amour wine, one of the ten crus of Beaujolais* Saint-Amour, Jura, a commune in the Jura département in France...
and Saint-Vérand
Saint-Vérand
Saint-Vérand is the name of 3 communes in France:* Saint-Vérand, Isère* Saint-Vérand, Rhône* Saint-Vérand, Saône-et-Loire-See also:* Saint-Véran, in the Hautes-Alpes department...
in the south. All these villages are located in the extreme south of the Mâconnais subregion and of the Burgundy wine region as a whole.
Historical background
The Saint-Véran appelation came into being on January 6, 1971. An enthronement ceremony was held at the Château de la Balmondière in Saint Vérand.The AOC wine produced by the 6 Mâconnais communes of Chânes
Chânes
Chânes is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Chasselas
Chasselas
Chasselas or Chasselas Blanc is a wine grape variety grown in Switzerland, France, Germany, Portugal, Baja Norte, Mexico, Hungary and New Zealand.Theories of its origin vary. Pierre Galet believes it is a native Swiss variety....
, Davayé
Davayé
Davayé is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Leynes
Leynes
Leynes is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
, Prissé
Prissé
Prissé is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-References:*...
and Saint-Vérand was christened Saint-Véran
Saint-Véran
Saint-Véran is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France in the Queyras Regional Natural Park.-Geography:Saint-Véran, located in the French Alps is the most elevated commune of the French Republic...
(without a final 'd'), the old spelling of the village's name.
Features
- Grape varieties grown: Saint-Véran wines are produced entirely from ChardonnayChardonnayChardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
grapes.
- Pruning: The pruning method known as "taille à queue du Mâconnais" (lit. Maçonnais tail pruning) is typical of the Maçonnais district and is a variation on GuyotJules Guyotright|thumb|250 px| Le Château Savigny-lès-Beaune, where Jules Guyot died in 1872Dr. Jules Guyot was a French physician and agronomist who was born in the commune of Gyé-sur-Seine in the department of Aube...
pruning. This technique of bending of the wood into an arc during pruning is designed to prevent acrotony, a characteristic defect of Chardonnay vines, and also serves to protect the plants against spring frosts.
- Surface area of land under production: The Saint-Veran appellation covers 645 hectares (1,593.8 acre) of land and produces 39,030 hectolitres of wine.
- Maximum yieldYield (wine)In viticulture, the yield is a measure of the amount of grapes or wine that is produced per unit surface of vineyard, and is therefore a type of crop yield...
: 55 hectolitres/hectare.
Geology and terroirs
From north to south, the terroir (soil type, climate and wine-growing tradition) of Saint-Véran borders directly on that of its neighbour, the Pouilly-Fuissé appellation, and together they share soils that are a mixture of chalk and clay. The area ranges in altitude from 250 to 450 metres. The south-south-east facing slopes that enjoy the most sunshine.Named vineyards
Le Clos, Au Château, les Peiguins, Au Bourg, A la Croix, Aux Bulands and Vers le Mont are the climats/lieux-ditsLieu-dit
Lieu-dit is a French toponymic term referring to an uninhabited place yet bearing a name...
(specific named vineyards) with the most desirable micro-climates, and which sometimes be found indicated on the labels together with the name Saint-Véran.
Wine type, gastronomical features and serving temperatures
It is a pale golden colour when young, taking on a rich amber hue over time and often improving with age. Wine connaisseurs appreciated Saint-Veran's qualities before the appellation was officially recognized. With its complex, ample and elegant bouquet, this typical Burgundy wine offers round, powerful flavours on the palate. Depending on the year and the batch, one can detect fruity notes of white peach, apple or pear, or floral notes of lime-blossom or acacia that give way, over time, to notes of hazelnut or almond, offset by delicate touches of honey, vanillaVanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
and flint. It can for example be matched with chicken in a cream sauce, veal sweetbreads or fish. Saint-Véran should be served at around 11°C and is best opened a few minutes before being served, allowing time for the full richness of its aroma to be released.