Mâcon AC; Mâcon Supérieur AC; Mâcon-Villages AC [mah-KAWN; mah-KAWN suh-pay-YEUR; mah-KAWN vee-LAHZH]
These three appellations are located in the mâconnais in the southern portion of France’s Burgundy region. The Mâcon AC is the basic appellation for this area and encompasses red, white, and rosé wines. The main grapes are Chardonnay and Gamay, along with a small amount of Pinot Noir. The Mâcon Supérieur AC indicates that the qualifying wines have reached a minimum alcohol level of 1 percent higher than that for standard Mâcon AC wines. For white wines, the minimum is increased from 10 to 11 percent; for red wines, from 9 to 10 percent. The Mâcon-Villages AC, which produces the highest-quality wines of the three appellations, is for white wines and encompasses forty-three villages scattered throughout the Mâconnais. These villages are all allowed to use the term “Mâcon-Villages” on the label or append their name to the word “Mâcon,” as in Mâcon-Lugny. The better villages include Azé, Clessé, Igé, Lugny, Prissé, Viré, and Chardonnay, the latter after which the area’s most popular white grape was presumably named. In 1998, two of the villages, Viré and Clessé, plus two others were given their own appellation.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.