Who makes it
Maison François Martenot is a Bourgogne wine house based in Meursault. It has 270 hectares across five vineyard areas and eight vinification sites. Its holdings include Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy and Pommard Premier Cru Les Epenots. The house name therefore appears on regional wines as well as wines from classified vineyards.
The Bourgogne Chardonnay label carries a grape name. Chablis and Petit Chablis carry appellation names, while Crémant de Bourgogne identifies the sparkling format. The three classified holdings carry vineyard and cru names. Across the range, the labels identify place, grape name, wine style and classification.
Where it grows
Meursault places the house in the Côte de Beaune, but its vineyards and wine-making footprint extend across the wider Bourgogne map. The eight vinification sites are in the named vineyard areas of Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Hautes Côtes and Mâconnais. The house's appellations reach south to Beaujolais, so the range covers more than one local wine style.
Chablis and Petit Chablis mark the northern part of the range. Pommard Premier Cru Les Epenots and Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy identify classified holdings, while Corton-Charlemagne carries Grand Cru classification. Individual bottle notes provide the taste detail.
How it is made
The cellar
Martenot has 270 hectares across five Bourgogne vineyard areas. Its eight vinification sites are spread through Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Hautes Côtes and Mâconnais. The cellar network covers the same named zones that appear across the range, while the house operates across a wider vineyard area.
No barrel, fermentation, harvest, lees, ageing or dosage detail is provided for the wines. The cellar description is limited to the eight-site network, while tasting differences come from the named bottles.
What they make
Petit Chablis is the entry-level wine in the Chablis part of the range. It is pale golden, with orange blossom and an acidity-led profile. Chablis is the still white appellation beside it. Bourgogne Chardonnay is another named white wine, with a fleshy palate and a saline finish.
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc Brut Millésime changes the format from still to sparkling. It has a golden yellow colour, fine bubbles and persistent foam, with white flowers, hazelnuts and peach in the bouquet. The classified wines include Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Chablis Premier Cru Beauroy and Pommard Premier Cru Les Epenots. The range includes an entry-level Chablis-area wine, still white appellation wines, a sparkling cuvée and bottles carrying vineyard classifications.
Wines to try
First bottle
Chablis 2018 is the first bottle to open. It is a still white appellation wine with bright pale yellow colour, an open nose of white fruits and minerality, a balanced palate and a lemon-flavoured, fresh finish. Its balance gives the 2018 vintage ageing potential, with a recommendation to drink it within two years. This bottle connects appellation, vintage, aroma, palate, finish and timing in a single example.