Domaine Les FauvettesMaryse Chatelin
11 months of infusion, old foudres, and gravity bottling. Less than 5,000 bottles of ethereal Pinot Noir from rosy limestone at 300 meters—ached for, elusive, and unlike any other in Mâcon.
From the shadow of a cult figure to her own ethereal light—how Maryse Chatelin planted Pinot Noir on rosy limestone and created Mâcon's most achingly pure wines.
In 2012, after years of working alongside her husband Alexandre Jouveaux—now a cult figure in both the natural wine and Burgundy worlds—Maryse Chatelin, a trained oenologist, found herself a quiet spot amongst woodland outside the village of Uchizy, north of Mâcon. There, she planted a small parcel of Pinot Noir over pure limestone, and Domaine Les Fauvettes was born [^251^][^249^].
The vineyard sits at 300 meters above sea level—amongst the highest in the region—a real boon in the age of climate change. The vines face east, capturing morning light while remaining protected by the surrounding woodland. This remote location allows for a focus on biodiversity; the site positively teems with life. Maryse also farms a small, 60-year-old parcel of Chardonnay in nearby Viré-Clessé [^251^][^248^].
From a tiny cellar adjacent to her home in Uchizy, Maryse produces wines of rare finesse. The total production is minuscule—less than 5,000 bottles in a fruitful year—making these some of the most sought-after and difficult-to-obtain natural wines from Burgundy. No website, no marketing, just word-of-mouth reputation among those who have tasted the sincerity and beauty of these wines [^267^][^251^].
"A lightness of touch"—11-month infusions, hand-driven presses, gravity bottling, and the same barrels year after year to maintain symbiosis.
In the cellar, Maryse displays a real lightness of touch. Fermentations are carried out as infusions—gentle extractions that preserve the ethereal quality of the fruit. The Pinot Noir sees an astonishing 11 months of maceration—not through force, but through patience—resulting in wines of incredible depth without heaviness [^251^][^277^].
All wines are pressed in a hand-driven press—no machinery, just human effort. Aging occurs in very old, large foudres that do not impart oak flavor but allow for slow, gentle oxygen exchange. The same barrels are used for the same wines each year, as Maryse believes that the yeast and bacteria are in symbiosis with the fruit from the vineyards. Bottling occurs by gravity directly from the casks, unfiltered, with nothing added at any stage [^273^][^278^][^267^].
The farming is organic and biodynamic, without chemicals. Harvest is manual, as gentle in the vineyard as in the cellar. The result is wines of heart-wrenching sincerity and beauty—the kind that demand contemplation rather than casual consumption [^251^][^249^].
Of Touch
Uchizy—rosy limestone at 300 meters amidst woodland. The highest vines in the Mâconnais, where biodiversity thrives and climate change is an advantage.
Altitude
Amongst the highest vineyards in the Mâconnais region. At 300 meters above sea level, these east-facing vines benefit from cooler temperatures and slower ripening—a crucial advantage as the climate warms [^251^][^248^].
Limestone
Pure limestone soils with a distinctive rosy hue, planted in 2012 specifically for Pinot Noir. This soil composition creates wines of ethereal lightness and mineral clarity unlike typical Mâcon reds [^249^][^247^].
Biodiversity
The vineyard is nestled amongst woodland outside Uchizy, creating a natural ecosystem teeming with life. This remote location allows for organic and biodynamic farming without chemical intervention [^251^].
From dawn to dawn—De l'Aube à l'Aube and En l'Orme. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of such purity they seem to exist outside of time.
De l'Aube à l'Aube
"From Dawn to Dawn"—the flagship Pinot Noir that has made Maryse's reputation. From young vines on rosy limestone, hand-harvested and destemmed (sometimes whole cluster). Macerated for an astonishing 11 months as an infusion, then aged in old foudres. Bottled by gravity, unfiltered, zero sulfur. Bright, bursting with energy, red berries, rose petals, and delicate spice. Silky, elegant, and achingly pure [^251^][^282^][^277^].
En l'Orme
"In the Elm"—a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay (sometimes listed as just Gamay in older vintages, but evolved into a blend). Minimalist packaging hides an original rendering: a natural wine between red and rosé. Supple, light, but long on the palate. The 2006 vintage already showed this distinctive style—somewhere between red and pink, ethereal and haunting. Extremely limited production [^274^][^268^][^259^].
Viré-Clessé
From a small, 60-year-old parcel of Chardonnay in Viré-Clessé, farmed with the same organic/biodynamic care as the Pinot Noir. Hand-harvested, pressed in the hand-driven press, aged in old foudres. White flowers, citrus, and the limestone minerality that defines great Mâconnais Chardonnay. Bottled without sulfur or filtration. Tiny quantities [^251^][^248^].
Library Vintages
Given the minuscule production (less than 5,000 bottles in a good year) and the 11-month maceration followed by extended aging, each vintage of De l'Aube à l'Aube is essentially a library release upon arrival. The wines are known to evolve beautifully, developing tertiary notes of dried roses, forest floor, and exotic spices while maintaining that signature ethereal lightness. Collectors seek older vintages with fervor [^251^][^267^].
The Quiet Force
Domaine Les Fauvettes represents something increasingly rare in the natural wine world: the absence of ego. Maryse Chatelin works without websites, without marketing, without the cult-of-personality that often accompanies her husband's fame. The wines speak—or rather, they whisper. Ethereal, aching, sincere [^267^][^251^].
In a region where Mâcon is often synonymous with simple white wine, Maryse proves that the limestone hills north of the town can produce Pinot Noir of haunting complexity and Chardonnay of profound mineral depth—provided one has the patience for 11-month infusions, hand-driven presses, and gravity bottling. Less than 5,000 bottles per year. No additions. No subtractions. Just the rosy limestone of Uchizy, captured in glass.
- 11-month infusion maceration (extraordinary)
- Hand-driven press (no machinery)
- Gravity bottling from old foudres
- Zero sulfur since inception
- Organic & biodynamic certification
- Less than 5,000 bottles annually
- Same barrels maintained for symbiosis
- No website, pure word-of-mouth