Website: https://terres-secretes.com/en/
The wine world needs good, affordable wine, and when cooperatives are well run, they can help provide it. Terres Secrètes, based in Prissé in the south of the region, is one such cooperative, and this was a good first visit. We were hosted by Xavier Ritton (export director) and then we were joined at the tasting section of the visit by Michel Barraud, the president of the coop.
This is one of several coops in Bourgogne, and there are quite a few in the Mâconnais where they make 60% of the wine. But there’s a lot of cooperation among the different coops and several of them share the same logistics infrastructure. Before 1997, this was three separate coops: Prissé, Verzay and Sologny. They merged but kept their own speciality within the newly created Terres Secretes.
They have 120 growers with 900 hectares of vines between them, 440 of which are in Villages or Mâcon-plus. They are the biggest producer of Saint-Véran, with 240 hectares, and they have 40 hectares of Mâcon Rouge. ‘Mâcon is getting whiter,’ says Xavier. The incentive to make reds is diminished by the increasing quality of Beaujolais, which is next door and uses the same grape, Gamay (although there is also some Pinot in the Mâconnais).
Sustainability is a focus. They meet 40% of their electricity needs through solar panels. They are also looking to increase grass cover in the vineyard, and their new bottling line uses 50% less water than the old one. They only receive grapes here, not must. They sell about 10% of their wine in bulk. Seven million bottles are made here annually.
The direction they are taking is to go even deeper in the terroir direction, says Michel. They are continuing to invest in the vinification in order to keeps plots separate.
Terres Secretes Mâcon Blanc Chardonnay Les Préludes 2023
From three terroirs, no oak. Juicy and bright with a slight stoniness to the sweet pear and citrus fruit. Generous and bright with a fresh mandarin edge and a slight saltiness. Midweight and well balanced. 87/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon-Villages Les Sentinelles 2022
The name refers to the rocks of Solutré and Vergisson that stand 500 m high above the vineyards. Old vines, aged in barrel. Nice concentration with a bit of nutty complexity and bright pear and citrus fruit. There’s some woody complexity here with a nice mineral twist on the palate. 89/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon-Villages Cerço 2021
Organic. The first brand in Bourgogne that is organic and made with all the social aspects included. The bottle is light with 90% recycled glass, and no capsule, with a natural cork from south of France forests. Supple and fresh with some bright citrus fruit with some green apple, a hint of creaminess and a stony edge. Lovely juicy fruit. 88/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon Milly-Lamartine 2022
On the west side of the Mâconnais. There is some barrel ageing here but not fermentation. This is fresh, stony and quite precise. There are hints of dairy in the background but the core here is bright lemony fruit with delicacy and finesse and nice crystalline citrus fruit on the finish. 90/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon La Roche-Vineuse 2021
Creamy, nutty edge to the nose with some fine toasty notes as well as bright citrus. The palate is lively and quite complex with some supporting oak, a touch of creaminess and nice brightness on the finish. Long citrussy finish. 92/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon-Verzé Croix-Jarrier 2022
High concentration of white limestone, with brittle flakes. A west-facing plot of 5 hectares. Focused and bright with a lovely stony edge to the bright lemon and lime fruit with a chalky edge. Long and fresh with nice precision to the fruit, and some nice mineral notes alongside pure citrus. 92/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon Prissé 2023
Open and aromatic with some primary pear drop notes as well as citrus. The palate is open and fruity with a juicy, fine spicy edge to the lemony fruit. Still very youthful and bright. Has delicacy and freshness. 88/100
Terres Sectretes Saint-Véran Cerço 2021
11.5% alcohol. Organic. Concentrated with some mealy detail and bright citrus fruit. There’s some crispness here with good intensity and a stony finish. Has nice brightness with a linear personality, and notes of pear and lemon on the finish. Has some mid-palate warmth. 89/100
Terres Sectretes Saint-Véran Croix de Montceau 2022
A climat. It may become a premier cru. Stainless steel ferment with a small amount spending time in oak. This is compact with nice weight of direct lemony fruit with a nice stony edge. This has a chiselled, mineral character with nice intensity to the fruit. Still delicate, but with good concentration and some fine spices. Very stylish. 93/100
Terres Sectretes Saint-Véran Révélis 2018
This is wild-yeast fermented and matured in concrete for a year and then a year in barrel, made by young wine growers from five different climats. It’s their top cuvée of Saint-Véran. Concentrated and mealy with nice crystalline fruit. Richer white peach notes with a salty, mineral edge to the fruit. Rich but balanced with a lovely textured palate, showing what these terroirs can do. 94/100 (€39)
Terres Sectretes Pouilly-Fuissy Les Préludes 2022
This isn’t a lieux dit but a cuvée name. This is quite complex with some nutty, spicy notes as well as pear and peach, with a slight saltiness and some appealing toast and baked bread in the mix. This is broad, complex, spicy and detailed with nice intensity. Finely spiced. Really good. 92/100
Terres Sectretes Pouilly-Fuissé Barvay 2020
Quite a deep yellow colour. This is intense and finely spiced with a crystalline quality to the citrus fruit with some pear and peach richness. Nice acidity with good depth of flavour, and a bit of spiciness. This finishes with tapering citrus fruit. Very expressive. 93/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon Pierreclos Rouge 2022
12.5% alcohol. Gamay from granitic soils, destemmed and made in a Bourgogne style. Juicy and stony with bright raspberry and cherry fruit. Supple with nice weight showing freshness but also some nice texture. Nice tannins and acidity providing structure. 90/100
Terres Sectretes Mâcon Milly-Lamartine 2022
Gamay on limestone. Very fruity and aromatic (some thermovinification here) with sweet cherries and strawberries. Soft tannins and lots of red fruits with a hint of green on the background. Nice fruity style. 88/100