Varietal
Tasting notes
Visual: A sustained golden yellow.
Nose: A fine, spirited nose, aromatic, fruity and flowery (green apples, almonds and white flowers).
Palate: Well-balanced, supple and long. The honeyed note is particularly interesting in the context of maturing in new casks, and is in perfect harmony with the wine's full-bodied character. Chassagne-Montrachet is powerful and fat, with remarkable length. This is undoubtedly one of the world's truly greatest white wines.
Food and wine pairing
Ideal with foie-gras, a creamy fish dish, cooked meats and white meats, with or without a sauce.
Serving suggestions
Serve ideally at a temperature of 12°C to 14°C. (55°F.).
Ageing potential
Origins
A Côte de Beaune appellation which takes its name from the village of Chassagne-Montrachet.
The vineyards extend for over 330 hectares and produce equal quantities of white and red wines.
This is one of the most highly esteemed appellations in white, for nearly half of the plots are classified as either Premier or Grand Cru, producing the greatest white wines in the world: Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet.
Vinification and maturing
The grapes were harvested by hand. After the pressing, a cold settling of 48 hours at 8°C. (46°F.) was made. Then the juice was placced into oak barrels: 30% new oak barrels, 40 % one year old barrels and 30 % two year old barrels for both fermentation alcoholic and malolactic. Ageing for 12 months without stirring the lees.
Vintage : 2021
The 2021 vintage was a challenge for winegrowers right up until the very last day. From the frost in April, made worse by a very early start to the winegrowing season, right through to the September harvest, it was characterized by some brutal shifts in the weather. Winegrowers had to be extremely reactive and attentive. The only moment of respite came with flowering, which was ideal for fruit formation, and véraison, which was accompanied by sunshine from mid-August. In the end, hard work was rewarded with success, low volumes aside.
Aside from the low yields due to frost, and hail in June in certain parts of the Mâconnais, the grapes were sorted meticulously, both in the vines and in the winery.
Anyway, 2021 is an interesting vintage to work as it requires great technical skill and vinification must be very precise. Although fermentation was rapid, one had to pay a great deal of attention to the extraction of tannins and colour for the reds, and to the aromatic balance of the whites. The impression from the first tastings is that the musts have good aromatic potential and the sugar-acidity ratio suggests a style appreciated by fans of Bourgogne wines.
