Chassagne-Montrachet
1er Cru Les Chenevottes 2021
Flooded with sunshine from sunrise to sunset, the Chassagne-Montrachet vineyard is one of the most beautiful assets
and one of the most beautiful appellations of the Côte Viticole.
Origin
In the southern part of the Côte de Beaune Chassagne-Montrachet shares with Puligny the incontested title of the prince of the world’s dry white wines – the divine Montrachet. This fine, broad hillside brings out the very highest expression of the two Burgundian grapes - the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay, which grow here side-by side - such is the complexity of the district's « terroirs » !
Extensive marble quarries, which form a kind of cliff face, were the source of the pink and beige flagstones which went into the building of the Trocadero in Paris and more recently the Louvre Pyramid.
The 1er cru Les Chenevottes is located near the prestigious Montrachet. This climate must have been a chenevière at the time it was named. It was a field where hemp was grown.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: deep, brown limestones.
Orientation: East
Pruning: Guyot system
Average age of the vine: 37 years old.
Vinification
Harvest date: 29 September 2021.
The grapes were handpicked.
At the winery: the whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees. Long fermentation using indigenous yeasts for added complexity and freshness.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 13 months in a 450-L barrel of 1 wine, with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: the wine was not fined but was very gently filtered before being bottled using gravity in December 2022.
Number of bottles: 555.
Vintage
A complex vintage!
It is both a winegrower and winemaker’s vintage ! 2021 will unfortunately be remembered quantity-wise for a long time by its disastrous frost early april. Direct consequence: this is probably one of the smallest vintages ever in Burgundy . It offers a very nice and subtle representation of each terroir and its expression, with fruity, freshness and great finesse wines.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Awards
Jancis Robinson MW - 17/20
Tim Atkin - 93/100
Tasting notes
A lovely pale yellow colour with golden highlights, this wine has an intense bouquet of honeysuckle and apricots, with toasty notes. On the palate, the wine is fresh, with a lovely velvety texture and brioche flavours.
