The Winery Patrick Benas of Mâconnais of Burgundy

Discovering the wine region of Mâconnais

The Mâconnais wine region in Southern Burgundy is centred on the provincial town of Mâcon, from which it takes its name. The region produces a considerable amount of wine, specializing in white wines made from Chardonnay and a smaller number of red wines made from Pinot Noir and Gamay. Unlike the Côte d'Or to the North, where a band of densely planted vines runs roughly north-south across the countryside, the vineyards of the Mâconnais are more sparsely planted and interspersed with land devoted to other forms of agriculture. The landscape here is made up of rolling limestone hills, bordered to the east by the Saône River, which flows south to join the Rhône just outside Lyon.

The Climate of the Mâconnais shows signs of its proximity to the Rhône valley, with higher than average temperatures, lower rainfall and - perhaps most importantly - less risk of vine-damaging spring frosts. The southern end of the Mâconnais slightly overlaps the northern boundary of Beaujolais - itself officially Part of the Burgundy wine region, but often treated as a separate region. The title Mâcon covers white, red and rosé wines from the entire region. A number of communes within the appellation's catchment area have been recognized as sources of premium wines and may add their names to the appellation; for example, Mâcon Lugny.