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Wine Description
The Story
The most majestic of the worlds white wines, the rare Chardonnays of Le Montrachet represent the finest and most age worthy white wines made anywhere.
Terroir: Evenly split between the appellations of Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet, the 10-acre Grand Cru of Le Montrachet sits fittingly at the top of the slope with a near perfect southeast exposure. The soil is well drained and made up primarily of a calcareous subsoil covered by a thin layer of brown, organic soil.
Vinification Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place entirely in oak, 30% of which is new. The wine ages on its lees for a minimum of 15 months in the Leflaive cellars. The Montrachet is aged in bottle for 18 months prior to release.
This small terroir of 8 hectares is divided between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. It is in the middle of the slope, on a brown limestone soil where drainage is very effective. The wine is subtle maybe because of the "Pholadomiya Bellona" marl which is very thick there. Our supply of grapes is located in Puligny-Montarchet in order to produce maximum 800 bottles every vintage.
At their arrival in our cellar, the grapes are immediately and carefully pressed with a pneumatic press.
The Montrachet family consists of grand five Grands Crus grown in the two villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. These two share the Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet appellations. Chevalier and Bienvenues belong to Puligny, Criots belongs to Chassagne. These Grands Crus are the most southerly of the Côte-d'Or, and lie between Meursault in the north and Santenay in the south. Their origins go back to the Middle Ages - the work of the Cistercian abbey of Maizières and the Lords of Chagny. The wines of Montrachet (pronounced Mon-rachay) came fully into their own in the 17th century. There is no argument : this is the finest expression of the Chardonnay grape anywhere on earth. The Grand Cru appellations date from 31 July, 1937.
The underlying rocks date from the Jurassic, 175 million years BC. Exposures lie to the east and the south. Altitudes: 265-290 metres (Chevalier) ; 250-270 metres (Montrachet) ; 240-250 metres (Bâtard, Bienvenues, Criots). In the " Climat " of Montrachet, the soils are thinnish and lie on hard limestone traversed by a band of reddish marl. In Chevalier, the soils are thin and stony rendzinas derived from marls and marly-limestones. In the Bâtard " climat " soils are brown limestone which are deeper and, at the foot of the slope, more clayey.
The power and aromatic persistence of these lofty wines demands aristocratic and sophisticated dishes with complex textures : « pâté » made from fattened goose liver, of course, and caviar. Lobster, crawfish, and large wild prawns, with their powerful flavours and firm textures, pay well-deserved homage to the wine and match its opulence. Firm-fleshed white fish such as monkfish would be equally at home in their company. And let us not forget well-bred and well-fattened free-range poultry whose delicate flesh, with the addition of a cream-and-mushroom sauce, will be lapped up in the unctuous and noble texture of this wine. Even a simple piece of veal, fried or in sauce, would be raised to heavenly heights by the Montrachet's long and subtle acidity.
Serving temperature : 12 to 14 °C.
Vintage 2017
BURGUNDY 2017 - In 2017, everything came good for the Bourgogne winegrowing region in terms of both quality and quantity. And after several years of harvests that suffered the whims of the weather, 2017 has provided volumes set to satisfy the market, with wines that are already promising great things to come from this elegant vintage.
After spending the winter building up their strength, the vines profited fully from a very warm spring, with budburst in early April ensuring a head start in terms of the growth cycle that was maintained right up to the harvest. The plants progressed from stage to stage free from hindrance, and by mid - June, were flowerin g before rapid fruit set. An early vintage was confirmed.
During the summer, a few spells of heatwave alternated with more mixed weather. However, ripening continued at a good pace and by the end of August, the first grapes were being picked, two weeks a head of average . Harvesting continued until mid - September as each plot reached peak maturity . The grapes were in exceptional health and required virtually no sorting. Everyone was very enthu siastic about this fabulous fruit, its peak ripeness, and the volumes produced. The only downside were a few areas hit by spring frosts , where yields were below norms .
Vinification went without a hitch and the mood was one of serenity for this vintage wh en the Bourgogne winegrowing region returned to more habitual levels of quality and quantity.
WHITE WINES
From the north to the south of the Bourgogne winegrowing region, opinion is unanimous: The 2017 vintage is one of the most elegant expressions of the Chardonnay grape, with perfectly balanced wines and a wonderful aromatic profile. They are crisp , with notes of citrus and white - fleshed fruit. Aeration triggers the release of h ints of peach and apricot, while in the mouth, minerality and tension balance out this rich, fruit - filled palette. A very fine vintage indeed!
RED WINES
Intense, dazzling colors ranging from ruby to garnet. From first glance, these wines simply invite one to taste them. Notes of red and black berries in these extremely expressive wines are another sign of indulgence, while perfect balance in the mouth comb ined with silky tannins results in a very harmonious ensemble that is subtle and without opulence.
