Burgundy: the great vineyards of Montrachet An in-depth look at one of the world’s most extraordinary white wines, by Charles Curtis MW
It's hallowed ground for the wine trade, and anyone else fortunate enough to get a taste. We explore the details behind what makes this Burgundy grand cru so great
Montrachet is among the most seductive and voluptuous white wines on the planet. The eminent Burgundy expert Dr Jules Lavalle wrote in 1855 that Montrachet produced wines that ‘merit so incontestably the first rank among the white wines of the Côte d’Or, and probably among all of the white wines of the world’. Few would contradict him, then or now.
It would be an error to think that every bottle with the word ‘Montrachet’ on the label is equivalent in quality. However, a little knowledge about the vineyard, and the others that surround it, can help you track down one of the world’s most extraordinary white wines, as well as several exciting satellite appellations that richly merit their reflected glory.
IDEAL LOCATION
Montrachet is a vineyard of eight hectares divided almost equally between neighbouring Chassagne and Puligny, according to cartographer and winemaker Sylvain Pitiot. The two villages have
long feuded, but this vineyard, their crown jewel, belongs to them both. In 1878, both villages took the step of officially appending the name of the vineyard to their own.
This vineyard produces great wine because many factors align perfectly to create an ideal location for growing Chardonnay. According to wine author Jacky Rigaux, this is due in good measure to its location at the middle of the slope, with a very gentle incline between 255m-270m. The thin brown soil sits atop a layer of calciumrich marl, over a bedrock of Bathonian limestone from the Jurassic period.
The northern portion of Montrachet faces east-southeast. At the border between the village territories, the slope begins to turn into the valley that leads to St-Aubin, a little to the west. At this point, the vines face directly south, making Montrachet from the Puligny side very different to that of Chassagne, where the name of the wine takes the definitive article (Le Montrachet). However, this distinction of name is not noted by every producer of the wine.
The largest owner of Montrachet is the Marquis de Laguiche, who has just over 2ha (more than a quarter of the entire appellation), all located on the Puligny side at the northern end of the appellation. Perhaps because of its relative abundance, in the stratospheric realm of Montrachet pricing – the range runs from US$500-$5,000 (about £400-£4,000) on release – Marquis de Laguiche is what counts as ‘good value’, yet the quality is consistently superb. It lacks nothing in density and richness, yet its most salient character is an approachable, fresh aroma of white flowers and ripe apples. The parcel next to Marquis de Laguiche is owned by Domaine Boillereault de Chauvigny, but they do not farm it directly. The vines are leased to Louis Latour, who bottle some under their label and sell some barrels to other négociants. The wines from Louis Latour emphasise richness and density, with super-ripe fruit and abundant oak.
To the south of the vines of Boillereault de Chauvigny is a parcel of a little more than a quarter-hectare that belongs to Domaine Ramonet. Blogger Steen Ohman relates how this superb parcel was purchased by Pierre Ramonet in 1978 from the Milan and Mathey-Blanches families and replanted in the 1980s. The Ramonet wines are perhaps the ultimate expression of the Montrachet of the Puligny side, often incisive and chiselled, with the flinty minerality typical of the village, and a bright lemony fruit with a richness undiminished by its fresh, lively style.
At the southern end of Puligny, Bouchard Père et Fils owns a magnificent 0.89ha parcel, ideally situated at the centre of the vineyard. This major producer uses a very light hand with the new casks for this cuvée (between 15%-20% of the barrels are new), and the result shows a beautiful purity of fruit. The style combines the tension of the Ramonet approach and the richness of the Marquis de Laguiche.
The first vines on the Chassagne side of Montrachet belong to the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The domaine purchased this parcel in 1963. Later in the decade, it added two more at the southern end of the appellation near the vines of Comte Lafon, making DRC the fifth-largest owner of Montrachet. The Lafon and Romanée-Conti wines seem to typify the south-facing Chassagne side. Both have less of the mineral and citrus so characteristic of the Ramonet and Bouchard offerings, and often show an almost honeyed character consistent with their location. They are rich, dense and lush.
Other owners on the southern side include Baron Thénard, based in Givry, whose wines were long produced and sold by Remoissenet. However, today Baron Thénard is bottling an increasing proportion of its own wine. Domaine Jacques Prieur is also an owner here, including land at the top of the slope added to the Montrachet appellation from the ChassagneMontrachet lieu-dit Dent de Chien in a 1921 court decision. Other owners here include Marc Colin, Guy Amiot, and Domaine Lamy-Pillot. These parcels (and those down the slope from here) are planted with vine rows in a north-south orientation, parallel to the slope, whereas the rest of Montrachet is planted with the vine rows running down the slope from west to east. ▶
‘The two villages have long feuded, but the Montrachet vineyard, their crown jewel, belongs to them both’
CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET
Just up the slope from the Puligny portion of Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet is a vineyard of 7.59ha. There are similarities between the two vineyards, but there are also significant differences. It is higher in altitude, making it slightly cooler, and the wines thus less rich and slightly sharper. The vineyard is also steeper in elevation. In 2021 this meant an increased vulnerability to frost – growers in Chevalier lost nearly all their grapes, while damage in Montrachet itself was not as significant.
The soils higher up on the hill are also thinner, giving wines with greater structure and acidity. This difference, however, is a question of extent. Bouchard Père et Fils has extensive holdings in Chevalier. Appearing to flow up the slope without interruption from the vines of its Montrachet parcel, La Cabotte is a Bouchard monopole that lies at the bottom of ChevalierMontrachet. The wine is distinguished from (and more expensive than) the main ChevalierMontrachet bottling in its range. In aerial photographs of the vineyard, the soils of La Cabotte are reddish and noticeably similar to those of Montrachet. However, at the top of the slope, the soils are thinner white marls that can give a more angular wine.
BATARD-MONTRACHET
Immediately down-slope from Montrachet lies Bâtard-Montrachet; as with its illustrious namesake, the vines are split between Puligny (6.02ha) and Chassagne (5.85ha). There is a small road (the D113) separating the two. The vineyard slopes gently from 250m-240m, with deeper soils than one finds in Montrachet. There are more limestone pebbles at the top and more gravel and clay at the bottom. The greater quantity of topsoil here gives a wine with more density and weight, which can be heavier and richer than Montrachet.
As with Montrachet, the vines face east and slightly south. The largest proprietor by far, with 1.91ha, is Domaine Leflaive. It owns four parcels, two in Puligny and two in Chassagne. These each run from the top of the vineyard to the bottom and the largest single parcel (on the Puligny side) was planted in the 1960s. The blend of the four produces a wine that is a balance of both sides. The result is buttery and rich, perhaps the most decadent wine in the portfolio.
The next-largest chunk of Bâtard belongs to Domaine Ramonet, which purchased two parcels here for a total of 0.86ha (alongside 0.45ha of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet) in the 1950s. In general, however, the plots in Bâtard-Montrachet are small, and there are more than 30 owners here, so it is not as easy to generalise about style.
BIENVENUES-BATARD-MONTRACHET
The northeast corner of Bâtard-Montrachet is set aside as the appellation Bienvenues- BâtardMontrachet (often called ‘BBM’ for short). It can be tricky to tell the two apart, although the distinction has long been noted. In the 1921 court case referred to above, the judge remarked: ‘The wines of the defendants have been called either Chevalier-Montrachet, or Bâtard-Montrachet, or Bienvenues, or Pucelles, or otherwise, but never just Montrachet.’
Bienvenues and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet (below) received their status as grands crus two weeks apart in 1939. The former is located entirely within Puligny-Montrachet, while the latter is situated in Chassagne-Montrachet. Several (Chassagne-based) growers have told me that the magistrates had decided to elevate Criots to grand cru and were compelled by irate growers from Puligny to discern another grand cru for their village as well.
Although the differences between Bienvenues and its neighbours are not pronounced, wines are superbly elegant – in general a bit softer and more floral, less rich than Bâtard, less concentrated than Montrachet, and less lively than Chevalier.
‘The greater quantity of topsoil in BâtardMontrachet gives a wine which can be heavier and richer than Montrachet’
CRIOTS-BATARD-MONTRACHET
Criots is the smallest of the grands crus in the sector, at just 1.57ha. It is essentially a southern continuation of Bâtard-Montrachet, and yet there are fundamental differences in the soil. According to Jacky Rigaux, there is a clay content of 30%, but this is lightened by the inclusion of a high proportion of large limestone gravel. This gravel helps to produce wines with a good balance between the richness of Bâtard and the steely freshness of higher up the slope.
The largest owner in Criots is Domaine Roger Belland, based in Santenay. Domaine GagnardDelagrange also had significant holdings, which are today divided through inheritance between descendants Fontaine-Gagnard (which has a third of a hectare) and Blain-Gagnard (owning a quarter-hectare); the other admirable holdings of this legendary estate, including in Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet, were also divided among the aforementioned heirs.
KNOWLEDGE IS KING
In the opinion of many wine lovers, these four grands crus produce the ultimate expression of white Burgundy. In general, they are richer and more seductive in character than the other grand cru appellations in the Côte de Beaune that come from the hill of Corton. Corton-Charlemagne can be more reserved aromatically, if more substantial on the palate. This difference comes down often to the direction the vineyards face: broadly southwest on the hill of Corton and southeast in Puligny and Chassagne.
Understanding the various altitudes and soil types within these five esteemed appellations gives the wine lover the knowledge to choose between these wines of ‘the first rank’ among the white wines of the world.
nose, but the substance and structure is immediately apparent. The 2019 vintage will need time to reveal its full potential, but the intrinsic rich, voluptuous character is evident from the start. Immense length and potential. Drink 2021-2040 Alc 13%
Domaine Leflaive, BienvenuesBâtard-Montrachet GC 2019 96
£500 (ib) Latimer Vintners
Leflaive owns four contiguous parcels in the centre of BBM that total 1.15ha, nearly half of the appellation. The vines lie just down the slope from one of the domaine’s four Bâtard parcels. In 2019, Leflaive began picking on 11 September. The Bienvenues has retained a rewarding freshness, with a forward fruit that has both tropical and citrus elements and plenty of floral notes. The texture is lively but supple; there is plenty of fresh acidity that brings a pleasant energy to the wine. This should age for decades to come. Drink 2021-2040 Alc 13%
Jacques Prieur, Montrachet GC 2017
£565-£587 (ib) Cru, Starling Wines, VinQuinn, Wineye
Domaine Jacques Prieur owns 0.58ha of Montrachet on the Chassagne side, in two parcels. At the top of the vineyard, one was reclassified in 1921 from Dent de Chien across the road. The other descends to the bottom of the vineyard. In 2017, picking was on 5 September to preserve acidity. The result has a lovely citrus nose with hints of gunflint and spice. There is a saline freshness and an impressive depth to the flavours, which linger enticingly on the finish. Drink 2021-2040 Alc 13%
Jean-Claude Bachelet, BienvenuesBâtard-Montrachet GC 2015
4 £375 (ib) Berry Bros Exchange
From a tiny parcel of 0.09ha that produced two casks; in 2015 both were new, but today they are using one 450-litre barrel. Quintessentially ‘Puligny’, this has a pronounced minerality, bright citrus fruit character and hints of smoke on the nose, and a texture that is superbly fine and elegant but surprisingly persistent on the palate. Rich and supple product of a hot year, it still has the potential to age for deveral decades. 2021-2040 13%
POA Liberty Wines, Nicholson’s Wines
Caroline Lestimé works a 0.36ha parcel on the Chassagne side of the appellation to produce this supremely elegant BâtardMontrachet, the highlight of her cellar.
The grapes were picked on 24 August and fermented in 80% new casks. The nose is fragrant with notes of ripe apple and white flowers; the texture avoids any heaviness and has a surprising snap of freshness that ensures that it will age well for years to come. 2021-2040
Blain-Gagnard, Criots-BâtardMontrachet GC 2020
5
N/A UK domaine-blain-gagnard@wanadoo.fr Jean-Marc Blain explains that the soils here have more limestone pebbles in the soil, giving it a distinct minerality and freshness compared to his more massive Bâtard.
The wine in the 2020 vintage has a beautiful elegance despite the richness of the year, showing expressive aromas of ripe pear fruit, acacia and almond, and a rich and fleshy texture without heaviness. The impressively persistent finish lingers softly, and the wine should age well for years to come. 2021-2040
Bruno Colin, Chevalier-Montrachet GC 2020
N/A UK domaine-bruno-colin.com
The 0.03ha holding of Domaine Bruno Colin in Chevalier-Montrachet comes from his father Michel Colin-Deleger, who in 2003 decided to split the family estate into three to include Bruno and his brother Philippe. In 2020, Bruno began to pick on 13 September. The grapes were lightly crushed and started in tank before being racked into cask to 1
Drink Drink
2 3 finish their fermentation. The result is concentrated, lemony and fine, with an elegant line of acidity that sustains the ripeness of the fruit and brings a marvellous balance and length to the wine. Should age well. 2021-2040
Drink Jean Chartron, Clos des Chevaliers, Chevalier-Montrachet GC 2020
£237 (ib) Millésima, Private Cellar
Charton has a magnificent holding of 12 ouvrées (0.47ha) at the northern end of Chevalier-Montrachet called the Clos des Chevaliers, entirely enclosed by walls. Half of the vineyard was planted right after World War II. The 2019 vintage, also tasted, is riveting. In the 2020, the aromas range from green apple to camomile, butter and hazelnut. The wine has the power of Bâtard, but with more finesse and an almost Montrachet-like length. Top-level stuff, this should age for decades. 2021-2040
Ramonet, Bâtard-Montrachet GC 1990
N/A UK +33 (0)3 80 21 30 88
A bottle of Ramonet Bâtard 1990 from a private cellar recently was unbelievably youthful. After the initial lemony attack, the bouquet slowly revealed hints of mineral, butter, fresh coconut juice and sugar cane: citrus with an underside of tropical, not lacking the rich, creamy side of the appellation. On the palate, the wine was tightly wound, with full body, crisp acidity, and an impressive density. The intense flavours lasted right through the long, powerful finish. This is a magnificent wine and one that will last another 20 years, if not more. 2021-2040 13%
Drink
4
Drink Alc
5
D