The amphora has made a quiet comeback in Burgundy’s wine cellars, championed by a handful of winemakers seeking a neutral aging environment—no wood, no stainless steel, and no reduction. Domaine Ragot, in Givry, has made it the exclusive vessel for its 2023 Pur’T Blanc, a Chardonnay made from vines with an average age of 60 years planted on clay-loam soil at an elevation of 220 meters.
The choice of amphora says something about the state of the technical debate in viticulture: neither a return to tradition for its romanticism, nor the adoption of stainless steel for its clinical neutrality. Terracotta allows for slow micro-oxygenation, without imparting tannins or woody aromas. The wine breathes. The fruit remains. This principle, known to Georgian winemakers for millennia, is applied here to a terroir in the Côte Chalonnaise that needs no embellishment to win you over.
Ten months in terracotta, two months in a tank
Aging takes place in two stages: ten months in amphorae, followed by two months in tanks. This final phase in tanks is likely intended to stabilize the wine before bottling, without subjecting it to any additional oxygenation that it would not have required. The vines’ 60 years of age account for the wine’s dense texture—old vines produce less, are more concentrated, and develop a minerality that the amphora preserves without amplifying it.
The wine has a brilliant gray-gold color. The nose reveals subtle floral and citrus notes, precise rather than generous. On the palate, the texture is full-bodied—dried fruit, white fruit, and slightly peppery white pepper. The minerality tightens the finish without any dryness.
The Givry Blanc Givry appellation is part of the Côte Chalonnaise region, historically known for its red wines (Pinot Noir). White wines are less common there but are gaining increasing recognition. The appellation covers approximately 300 hectares. Domaine Ragot is located in Poncey, in the commune of Givry (71640). Starting price at the winery: 30 euros.
Domaine Ragot’s Pur’T 2023 is a white wine that needs time in the glass. The amphora has done its job without leaving its mark on the wine—which is precisely the goal. As Burgundian winemakers explore the limits of new oak on their Chardonnays, clay is once again emerging as a viable technical solution. Domaine Ragot demonstrates this on a Givry terroir that has not yet exhausted its potential.
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