The amicable Bret Brothers steered us toward Nicolas Delfaud, who at the time, had produced his first vintage of wine in 2016 in his barn garage in the village of Verzé, located just northwest of the city of Mâcon. Behind a plastic curtain was a small press and a few barrels containing the beginnings of what we believe to be a prosperous future for this young domaine.
Originally from the suburbs of Paris, Nicolas Delfaud dreamed of being a vigneron. He started his professional career as a sommelier and store room manager at a small four-star hotel in Paris, an experience that solidified his passion for wine and gastronomy. At the age of 32, he decided to follow his heart and begin his formal winemaking education. In 2009, he settled in the Mâcon with his two children in tow, and earned a degree in viticulture and oenology from the agricultural school in Davayé (BTS viticulture oenology CFPPA Macon Davayé). While working at Château des Rontets in Pouilly-Fuissé, a family owned domaine practicing organic viticulture, he had the opportunity to experience all aspects of production from vineyard work and wine making to bottling. Gradually, he moved to part-time in order to start work on his own project.
Domaine Nicolas Delfaud was officially created during the autumn of 2015 when he rented 4 hectares of Chardonnay and Gamay vineyards in Verzé. The vineyards of Verzé had already been sought out by the likes of Domaine Leflaive who now own 30 Hectares there that serves as the base of their Macon production. From the very beginning, Nicolas knew he wanted to work organically, and he has been in conversion since his first vintage in 2016. Nicolas, like all good vignerons, believes wine is made in the vineyard. Every effort is made to bring the necessary care to the vines in order to allow this limestone-rich terroir speak for itself. His vineyards lie on eastern-facing slopes at about 350-410 meters in elevation. Harvest is done by hand in 40 kg crates in order to best preserve the integrity of the grape from vine to press. In the winery, fermentations are carried out with indigenous yeasts and wines are vinified on the lees with little intervention. Delfaud’s entry level Mâcon-Verzé is from younger vines and vinified all in tank, while his Bien Heureux (which translates to "Very Happy") is from a parcel planted in 1965 and is fermented and aged partly in neutral barrel.
Nicolas Delfaud strongly believes in the great potential of Verzé terroirs and seeks to reveal the verve and mineral tension that this under the radar village has to offer. His electrifying duo of wines shows that his endless efforts are paying off. We are delighted to get in on the ground floor with this talented young vigneron, and to represent these utterly delicious and superb value wines.