Terroir-istes International - France, Burgundy, Chassagne Montrachet Village and Premier Cru

A focus on Chassagne Montrachet - mostly Premier Cru. From 2017 to 2009. Introduction to Chassagne-Montrachet

Chassagne-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy, is renowned for its exceptional white wines from Chardonnay. The region spans approximately 17 hectares dedicated to white wine production.

The terroir of Chassagne-Montrachet is predominantly composed of limestone and clay, enriched with a high proportion of small stones. This arguably contributes to the wines' refined minerality and structural integrity.

Jasper Morris cites that the soils in Chassagne Montrachet are more suited to red rather than white wines yet whites are better known. As such, there are excellant sites for white that work but equally many white grapes are grown on soils better suited to red - much of this is at the village level.

Chassagne-Montrachet has 55 Premier Cru vineyards, each with its own distinct characteristics. The main four Premier Crus that we will taste are:

- Abbaye des Morgeot: Known for its diverse soil profile, this Premier Cru combines relatively deep marl and limestone, fostering rich, full-bodied and expressive wines. The presence of stones enhances the wine's depth and character.

- En Cailleret (Cailleret): A total of 10.68 hectares, of which En Cailleret is 5.11 ha. Located centrally toward the village, En Cailleret as the name translates, is stony with little earth. The wines produced are rich, complex, somewhat elegant, mineral, and have the ability to age; they are often refined.

- En Remilly: This climat forms the link between the St. Aubin premier cru of the same name and Chevalier Montrachet. Has very little topsoil above liimestone and thus challenging in hotter years. The wines can be rich and full-bodied.

- En Virondot: This is part of La Grande Montagne, but as ,Marc Morey solely owns it labels it En Virondot. Situated at 350 meters, this is the highest Premier Cru in Chassagne-Montrachet and has scrubland surrounding. It does well in more humid conditions but less so in hot dry conditions. Divided by a wall, the lower part is stonier than the top port. Soils are calcareous and the vine age is 70 years in most of the area but is being replanted. Arguably, it shows a pronounced minerality, resulting in vibrant and refreshing wines, but this could simply be Morey.

Chassagne-Montrachet's wines are tricky to place given that some soils are more suitable than others. They are less floral and aromatic than Puligny yet have a minerality and density to the fruit.
Vintages: 4 consecutive vintages, 2009, 2015 warm vintages

• 2017 Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet

  (Tasted Blind): Mid yellow to light gold. The nose is clean and intense with ripe yellow peach, green melon, minerals and citrus-driven lime leaf quality.
  The palate offers richness with breadth, stone fruit juiciness, well-defined mineral notes, oatmeal underbelly, and a clotted cream texture.
  Intense, dynamic, and delicious, this wine has a powerful frame, bright acidity, and plenty of breadth to charm. A fairly long finish completes the wine, yet the finish is shortened by a touch of pencil shavings.
  10 minutes later the wine did show mustiness on the finish and what appeared as minor cork taint. Gave the benefit of the doubt and kept to my initial score despite that initial shortness of length probably being cork than anything else.
  (initially 93 but declined slightly)

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• 2017 Domaine Bouard-Bonnefoy Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Remilly 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Light+ yellow. Aromas of fresh rubber and struck match segue to minerals, crushed stones, blossom, honeysuckle and yellow flowers.
  A fresh and incisive entry that is really focused on carving through a sea of minerals. Finessed, the wine has a gentle phenolic assuaged by flavours of almond paste and Bakewell pudding. A long length, with a pithy texture, the wine is on the edges of reductiveness and phenolics but manages to work.

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• 2015 Domaine Tawse Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot 85 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-yellow to flecks of gold on the edges. Some development on the nose with some oxidation, bread dough, bee sting and barley sugar.
  Clear evolution on the palate yet maintaining some intensity and length.
  However, whilst there is a pleasant marzipan, almond paste quality with a little minerality, the wine definitely shows aldehydic elements that start to drift the wine downhill as the fruit disappears. It finishes with spun sugar and that slightly bitter element of creme brulee sugar glaze.

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• 2014 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-golden-yellow colour, deeper than wine 3. Tertiary development on the nose with savoury nuances, salted nuts, smoke, creamed honey and stone fruits. The palate is intense, with ripe nectarine, peach, apricot halves, and semi-dried orange forming a core. A vibrant acidity pushes the wine along, while a chalky edge frames it. Mouth cleansing, focussed, fresh and with a long tail, this is an elegant wine closing with minerals, crushed nuts and rock dust.

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• 2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-golden colour. Aromas of light minerals, mint humbug, stone fruits, kumquat, pineapple, wet chalk and moss on stones. A wine with power, intensity and depth, there is a freshness of fruit with peach flesh, orange peel and nectarine skin set against a pithy, sinewy acidity. Reasonably extracted mid-palate, the wine does have a firm grip but feels focussed and closes long with an almond paste and smoke, suggesting some evolution.

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• 2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Mid-yellow colour. A slight reduction at first - rubber and pratty putty, the wine slowly reveals apricot, Valencia orange, Gala apple, peach and a smattering of spices.
  A fresh, vibrant entry with juicy acidity, this focused, poised wine has a lovely tactile structure. A touch of residual sugar (?) and fruit sweetness from ripe apricot, yellow cling peach, and apricot flesh give it a rich, sumptuous feel. Excellent depth, concentration, and line to the long finish. There is an elegant mineral feel to the close.

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• 2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 98 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Light to mid-yellow colour. Fabulous, intense aromas of stone fruits, yellow flowers and crushed rocks. The entry is dynamic and punchy, vibrant with acid and pure in flow with a precise detailed definition and chiselled edges. Wonderful concentration (old vines?) of flavour with pure stone fruits, and floral nuances and fresh ozone/ocean breezes.
  An astonishing length, this is a majestic wine with layers, some muscles and depth akin to a grand cru. Wow!

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• 2009 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  (Tasted Blind): Mid to light yellow. Subtle aromas: peach blossom, wet stones, quarry dust, and lemon. Light and airy yet is necessarily fresh.
  The palate is tight and focused with tremendous depth and concentration, filled with zesty fruits, lemon curd, peach slices and crushed rocks. A high extract gives a drying phenolic that feels slightly bitter, yet the wine remains persistent on the finish. Classy wine if not exceptional.

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