Vézelay - Chardonnay

On October 30, 2017, the Vézelay was granted Appellation d'origine controlée status (AOC). The wine region is located just below the Chablis, the northern part of Burgundy. The four medieval villages of Vézelay, Asquins, Saint Père and Tharoiseau form the Burgundian Vézelay appellation, where wine-making dates back to Gallo-Roman times. A church in Saint-Etienne stands atop the remains of a temple dedicated to the Roman god Bacchus, evidence of the area's viticultural history. Until the phylloxera crisis in the 1880s, this region was a major supplier of wine to Paris. The most beautiful vineyards are located on the hill of Vézelay, which is called the "eternal hill".

Today, the 67 hectares (164 acres) of vineyards are mainly planted with Chardonnay in a similar limestone-rich soil to its northern neighbor Chablis. The vines grow on the sunniest slopes, where the grapes receive optimal sunlight to help ripen. The resulting wines take on a steely quality with aromas of white flowers, mint and honey. Due to the high acid content, they go perfectly with fresh seafood such as crab or fried fish. Price / quality of wines from the Vézelay are very good compared to the neighbor Chablis.