Our tasting impressions
Wow, is this a fantastic Puligny! Even more so than Chassagne or Meursault, the steely, chiseled, minearlly intense nature of Puligny benefited from this really classical vintage. This old vine, village wine is incredibly bright and crisp. The challenge will be to give this superb wine time to evolve as it ages. Bravo!
About this wine
Many consider Puligny-Montrachet the pinnacle of Côte de Beaune Chardonnay. This village wine is from 3 vineyards planted 42-62 years ago in clay & limestone soil. The half hectare plot's exposure is east/southeast and elevation 280 meters.
Grapes were handpicked at the end of September and yields were 40 hl/ha. Fermentation was by native yeast. Aging was in oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation was done and bottling took place in the spring of 2023 with fining and filtering.
About the grape
Chardonnay is the most popular wine variety in the US. Winemakers love the green-skinned grape as well because it’s so easy to grow and adapt to many different production techniques. Grown everywhere, Chardonnay’s greatest expressions are widely believed to come from Burgundy. Indeed, this is believed to be where the grape originated. Chablis, in Northern Burgundy and Champagne also offer superlative examples of Chardonnay.
About the Vintage
2021 heralded a return to typical Burgundian style. For the first time in several years, high temperatures during the growing season were not the overriding factor. Unfortunately, a severe spring frost that plagued much of Europe drastically diminished yields. Chardonnay was hit harder because it buds earlier than Pinot Noir. So, 2021 was very good on quality but very poor on quantity.