Puligny-Montrachet is a village on the Côte de Beaune, located in the area producing the finest white wines of Burgundy: the Golden Triangle, which is demarcated by the villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
The village supposedly holds its name from the Gallo-Roman era, when the first people settled and named it Puliniacus - the marsh house. The second name "Montrachet" was attached only in the end of the 19th century, to have a link with the Grand Cru that can be produced in the village.
The appellation spreads on 211,46 hectares and produces almost only white wines. About a third of the appellation (98,18 hectares) is ranked "Premier Cru" and those Premiers Crus contain 17 different Climats. The village also produced 5 Grands Crus.
100% Chardonnay.
The soil is mainly composed of limestone with a very typical ocher colour. The subsoil is also composed of marly layers (mix of clay and limestone) that play a great part in giving the wines under the appellation their structure.
The vines are located in the plain with a South-eastern exposure which protect them from the North wind and is ideal to gather the most amount of sunlight and ensure a good maturity/concentration of the grapes.
6 to 8 years.
Drink ideally at a temperature of around 12°-14°C (53-57°F).