Ladoix blanc 2023 Domaine d'Ardhuy

The 2023 Ladoix Blanc from Domaine d'Ardhuy is one of the domaine's most approachable and seductive cuvées, and one of the finest opportunities in northern Côte de Beaune for anyone seeking an elegant, fresh and honest Chardonnay planted at the very foot of the Corton hillside. A family secret generously shared, to borrow the domaine's own words.

Terroir and vines

This Ladoix Blanc comes from various parcels situated at the foot of the Corton hillside, on gentle south and south-east facing slopes at an altitude of around 250 metres. The vines, over 45 years old, are planted on complex clay-limestone soils formed from slope deposits: weathered substrate material, varied scree and colluvial silts over chailles, the small hard limestone pebbles from the Buisson debris cone that ensure these relatively fertile soils excellent drainage, favouring early maturity and ripening of the Chardonnay. This chailles terroir at the foot of the celebrated Corton hillside, metres away from parcels classified as Premier and Grand Cru, gives the wine a natural freshness, fine saline minerality and aromatic precision that far exceeds what one typically expects from a Ladoix village wine. The 2023 vintage proved particularly favourable for white wines from Côte de Beaune: spring freshness and cool summer nights preserved the natural acidity of the grapes, while sunshine encouraged aromatic development. Vinification is traditional and precise: hand-harvested grapes, pressing and settling, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, ageing on fine lees for several months, with well-integrated subtle oak notes.

Tasting profile

The robe is a clear and bright golden yellow. The nose is expressive, round and balanced: ripe apple, pear and a touch of citrus aromas unfold harmoniously, combined with floral notes and subtle mineral nuances characteristic of chailles soils. On the palate, the wine impresses with lively freshness and delicate acidity, which underlines the juicy fruit character. The texture is generous, fresh and silky, with subtle oak well integrated that brings complexity without ever dominating the fruit. The finish is elegant, mineral and persistent, with a pleasant length that confirms the quality of the terroir. A Chardonnay of immediate pleasure, to drink within three to five years.

The domaine

Domaine d'Ardhuy is a historic Burgundy property, ideally situated in Corgoloin, between Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. With over 125 years of history, the domaine today cultivates with rigour and passion one of the region's finest mosaics of terroirs across nearly forty-two hectares, from Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot to Premier Crus of Savigny-lès-Beaune. Farmed under certified organic agriculture, vinifications are non-interventionist, made with wild yeasts, using gentle extraction and tailored ageing to reveal without artifice the personality of each parcel.

Food pairing

This Ladoix Blanc will pair beautifully with avocado and prawn appetisers, monkfish in sauce, roasted vegetables with thyme and olive oil, trout meunière with almonds, snails in parsley butter or chicken with cream and morels. It will also find harmonious pairing with lightly aged local cheeses such as young Comté or Brillat-Savarin. Served between 12 and 14°C, it will reveal all the floral freshness and saline minerality of a Chardonnay rooted in terroir at the foot of the Corton hillside.