(Originally published 23 February 2018)
Although a separate label, everything here is operated under Etienne de Montille and his team.
Although a separate label, everything here is operated under Etienne de Montille and his team.
Harvesting began on 17 September.
2016 Bourgogne Clos du Château Chardonnay
This is a good, inexpensive white Burgundy. It is silky in texture and medium-light in weight with slight butter notes and good apply chardonnay fruit. Mostly raised in 500-600-liter barrels. The vines here are just outside the Puligny-Montrachet appellation. (86-89)
2016 Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly
I find a little tropical fruit here, good tension, and nice acidity and finesse. (88-92)
2016 Puligny-Montrachet
This wine is smooth with lemon and lemon curd flavors, finesse, good acidity, and freshness. 80% comes from the Chalumeaux vineyard that was declassified from premier cru some years ago because a previous owner applied soil from elsewhere to the vineyard. The vines are 45-50 years old. Two-thirds of the wine was raised in large format barrels. There was less frost damage here than in some of the neighboring vineyards. (89-92)
2016 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux
Here we have the portion of Chalumeaux that is still entitled to premier cru classification. There’s more freshness and precision here with minerality and good intensity. The vines here are about 90-100 years old. The oak is 50% new; half the barrels are 228-liter barriques, 50% are 500 or 600-liter barrels. (91-95)
2016 Chevalier-Montrachet
Here we have the dusty aromas typical of Chevalier-Montrachet. The mouth shows minerality with lightness on the palate, nervosity, airiness, and purity. About half a normal crop was lost due to the frost. Large volume casks for about half the wine. (93-96)