Moillard Domaine du Chateau d'Eau Chardonnay.

Moillard has been making wines for more than 150 years. Back in 2002, the decision was taken for the majority of the vineyards to be grown according to the rules of lunar-organic viticulture. This type of vine-growing associates the rules of organic agriculture to the lunar cycles. The 2005 harvest was the first of the lunar-certified wines.

Rich yellowy gold Creamy baked apple and vanilla on the nose, honey, and spice, very prominent full-bodied, Bramley apple and peppery spice, mellow out to softer honey and vanilla flavours. Nice and juicy. Rich and complex, hardcore Chardonnay

Lunar-organic winemaking - 'It's a way of cultivating grapes that follows the code of practice of organic agriculture and also takes into account the phases of the moon' - how vineyard work that disturbs the vine is avoided as the ascending moon rises, as this draws up the sap. Similarly, no ploughing, hoeing, or earthing up happens during waning moon for fear of disturbing the soil. Vine treatments (organic or course) must be applied just before the full moon and new moon. All this is combined with 'ancestral savoir-faire' and some homeopathic sprays to ensure the vines make the best grapes they can. And here's the rub. Scientifically a lot of this appears to be nonsense. Empirically a lot of it is very hard to test. But as with so many wines made like this or using full-blown biodynamics, the Moillard wines are very good, individual and distinctive. And science does at least agree that vineyard soil in places like Moillard is hotbeds of biodiversity and microbial life.