Domaine l’Iserand Chasselas Blanc 2023

Domaine l'Iserand sits in the northern Rhône, where Jean-François Malsert planted Chasselas on the Sécheras granite plateau with the aim of making a fresh, light, low-alcohol wine. Granite soils drain quickly and hold little heat, giving wines a taut, mineral profile and lively acidity, well suited to the gentle Chasselas grape. The skins are macerated for around forty-eight hours, a short contact that lifts texture and adds a faint colour and light grip without the firm tannin of a long maceration, keeping the wine fresh and approachable at just 10 percent alcohol. It ferments with its native yeasts and ages in clay amphorae, whose porous walls allow a small, steady oxygen exchange that adds savoury depth and a subtle smoky edge while leaving the fruit clear. The colour is pale gold with a faint amber tint. The nose shows lemon, green apple, pear and white flowers, with smoky, mineral nuances drawn from the granite and clay. The palate is vibrant and fresh, the light phenolic texture giving a gentle grip to a clean, saline finish. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees. It pairs with white fish, shellfish and green salads.