François Rousset-Martin

It's unusual to have a newcomer in the ultra-traditional Château-Chalon area, but François Rousset-Martin has quickly made a name for himself, having only started making wines full time in 2018. He has 10ha of vineyards (including 7ha of Savagnin) in some of the best sites, partly taken over from his grandfather - they are farmed organically without certification. François believes in very long ageing in various sizes of old barrels, and is still to bottle some of his family's Château-Chalon that have aged under the veil for over ten years. He makes three reds from Pinot Noir and Poulsard, and up to seven terroir-specific cuvées each of Chardonnay and Savagnin, both oxidative and topped-up. Normally he adds no sulfites at any stage and often wines are relatively high in volatile acidity. These are exciting, intense wines.