A bit of wine from Burgundy always soothes the soul, especially for those enduring the dreadful heat and the chaos of war.
Maison Chanzy is situated in the heart of Burgundy and all of France—the village of Puligny-Montrachet. The winery, operational since 1974, uses vineyards planted in the 1930s. It is a significant producer in the Côte Chalonnaise, offering wines across various price levels.
This review covers relatively basic wines that offer excellent value for money. All the wines exhibit minimal winemaker intervention, allowing the grape varieties and terroir to shine, in the spirit of the Old World. In Burgundy, these varieties are, of course, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The review includes two white wines, two reds, and one sparkling wine—all very commendable. Two of them are clear winners in terms of value for money: the "Crémant de Bourgogne," which delivers quality sparkling wine for less than NIS 100, and the higher-end red of the tasting, "Maison Chanzy, En Rosey, Rully 2019," which also offers great value at NIS 129.
These are Burgundy wines that don't walk around with their noses in the air but provide a respectable taste of their origin's terroir for entirely reasonable sums. Available on the importer Paneco’s website. Cheers!
Maison Chanzy, Les Fortunes, Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022
Composition: 100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy.
Aging: 10 months in stainless steel vats and 250, 400, and 450-liter barrels.
Appearance: Golden hue.
Aroma: White fruit and citrus.
Body: Light to medium.
Alcohol: 12.55%.
Price: NIS 89.
Best paired with: Tartare, carpaccio, ceviche, grilled calamari, pasta.
Critic’s Note: Fruity, fresh, with pleasant acidity, unpretentious yet sufficiently complex for its basic nature and quite enjoyable.
Value for Money: 4/5 (Very good).
Maison Chanzy, Les Fortunes, Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2022
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir from Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy.
Aging: 9 months in stainless steel vats.
Appearance: Ruby red.
Aroma: Red fruit.
Body: Light to medium.
Alcohol: 13.5%.
Price: NIS 99.
Best paired with: Beef carpaccio and tartare, hamburgers, barbecue.
Critic’s Note: Excellent fruit, relatively light, measured acidity, accessible, with restrained and moderate expression. A very good basic wine of its kind.
Value for Money: 3.5/5 (Good).
Chanzy, Crémant de Bourgogne, Brut
Composition: 70% Chardonnay and 30% Aligoté from Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune, and Côte de Nuits in Burgundy.
Vinification: 30% in barrels, the rest in vats, traditional method (bottle fermentation), 18 months aging in total.
Appearance: Pale golden hue.
Aroma: White fruit and flowers, spices.
Body: Medium.
Alcohol: 12%.
Price: NIS 99.
Best paired with: Fish, seafood, shellfish, white meats.
Critic’s Note: The "Crémant" category often presents a win-win option—sparkling wines that aren't Champagne and thus not priced like it, yet often provide very fine quality and excellent value. This Crémant is well-constructed with depth and volume, complexity, and finesse, capable of accompanying substantial meals successfully. In this sense, it offers nothing less than excellent value for money and holds its own against much more expensive branded wines.
Value for Money: 4.5/5 (Excellent).
Chanzy, En Rosey, Rully Blanc 2019
Composition: 100% Chardonnay from the village of Rully, Burgundy.
Aging: 12 months in stainless steel vats and oak barrels.
Appearance: Pale golden hue.
Aroma: White fruit, lemony notes, minerality.
Body: Medium.
Alcohol: 12.5%.
Price: NIS 129.
Best paired with: Fish and seafood, shellfish, sushi, and sashimi.
Critic’s Note: A wine that needs at least an hour of aeration to open up. Initially more fruity and rather closed. The mineral elements gradually reveal themselves, provided it’s not too cold. The cold closes it up. After aeration and at the right temperature, a very respectable Chardonnay is revealed, with good sharp acidity and nice mineral character.
Value for Money: 2.5/5 (Fair for wines of this type).
In ten words: Well-made and worthy wine, if you know how to drink it correctly.
Chanzy, En Rosey, Rully Rouge 2019
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir from the village of Rully, Burgundy.
Aging: 12 months in 228 and 350-liter oak barrels (12% new).
Appearance: Deep red.
Aroma: Red fruit, chocolate, licorice.
Body: Medium to full.
Alcohol: 13.55%.
Price: NIS 129.
Best paired with: Steaks, stews.
Critic’s Note: Great fruit, restrained seasoning, a touch of gunpowder, excellent acidity, surprisingly good minerality for the price. A wine that holds qualities of wines priced significantly higher.
Value for Money: 4.5/5 (Excellent).