Abbotts & Delaunay Métairie d’Alon Le Palajo Chardonnay 2017 Limoux, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 75cl

Domaine de la Métairie d’Alon is Abbotts & Delaunay’s estate for high-altitude whites and reds, set around the village of Magrie in the Haute Vallée de l’Aude, the cool, mountainous heart of Limoux. The vineyards are farmed organically, following Burgundian methods, in the belief that this corner of the Languedoc can rival far more famous addresses for Chardonnay. The estate sits apart from the warmer lowland Languedoc, closer in spirit to the cooler vineyards of the north.

Le Palajo is a single plot, the highest Chardonnay vineyard on the estate at around 280 metres, planted on clay, sand and a little limestone with a southerly aspect. The fruit is hand-picked and made as a pure, single-varietal Chardonnay, a genuine expression of one place rather than a broad regional blend.

The 2017 vintage gave ripe but well-balanced fruit here, the altitude and cool nights preserving the natural freshness and precision that define this site. This is not a big, tropical Chardonnay but a restrained, savoury style built for the table.

Pale lemon in the glass, it is expressive and elegant, with white flowers, orchard fruit, fine pastry and a touch of cream. The palate is textured yet lively, with real drive and definition, finishing long, fresh and gently mineral.

If you enjoy a cool-climate white Burgundy but like to explore, this is a natural next step, offering that style at a friendly price. It suits roast chicken, creamy pasta, soft cheeses or simply grilled fish, and has the structure to develop over a year or two.