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Wine Description
The Story
In the southern part of the Côte de Beaune Chassagne-Montrachet shares with Puligny the incontested title of the prince of the world's dry white wines, the divine Montrachet (pronounced « Monrachay »). This fine, broad hillside brings out the very highest expression of the two Burgundian grapes - the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay, which grow here side-by side - such is the complexity of the district's « terroirs » ! Extensive marble quarries, which form a kind of cliff face, were the source of the pink and beige flagstones which went into the building of the Trocadero in Paris and more recently the Louvre Pyramid. The Chassagne-Montrachet controlled appellation dates from 1937. It includes some plots in the neighbouring village of Remigny which share the same soil conditions.
At altitudes between 220 and 325 metres, the succession of rocks from the top down is first rauracien then callovien and finally argovien. The soil of the various " Climats " (named plots with distinctive qualities) ranges from pebbly limestones, through marls, to sandy soils with a Jurassic basis.
White: this wine is the Chardonnay grape dressed in glittering gold ! It boasts firm coloration with green highlights. Aromas of mayflower, acacia, and honeysuckle blend with verbena and hazelnut and in some cases toast or fresh butter. This wine boasts a profound minerality (flint). Age brings in notes of honey or ripe pear. Rounded and often opulent, its attack is instantaneous. On the palate, fleshiness is matched by mellowness, and both are equally persistent.
Red: brilliant, with purplish highlights – this wine is a well-coloured Pinot Noir. Aromas of Morello cherry and cherry-pit, wild strawberry, gooseberry, and raspberry are commonly present. Notes of animal and spice complete the bouquet. In the mouth, this wine has real substance. Its delicious fleshiness partly conceals tannins which, though somewhat austere in youth, give way with maturity to a concentrated and taste-filled structure, intriguing in its complexity.
White: its opulence and power make it an ideal partner for delicate fine white meats such as poultry or veal in sauce. Fish, either in well-spiced couscous or in Asian dishes such as curries or stir-fries, are also well-suited. Salmon, in itself highly aromatic, harmonizes particularly well. The Premiers Crus will readily complement crawfish, lobster, or even cooked fattened goose liver (foie gras).
Serving temperature: 12 to 14 °C
Red: powerful and tannic, it flatters good quality meats such as grilled or roast lamb, coating their fibres in the mouth. Its aromatic power balances that of grilled pork and of curried or tandoori-style poultry. The Premiers Crus demand, at the very least, feathered game.
Serving temperature: 14 to 16 °C
Vintage 2004
2004 VINTAGE in Burgundy
2004 will be remembered as the year of wonderful surprises. The month of September was hot, dry and sunny contributing to an excellent harvest which in turn gave birth to fruity, elegant wines.
The harvest started on the 13th September in Burgundy, the Mâconnais and the Côte Chalonnaise during a long awaited spell of mild weather following a summer characterised by climatic instability.
These conditions slowed down the colouring of the grapes, disturbed the start of ripening and provided ideal conditions for the development of oidium. Luckily the return of a long period of warmth and sun from the beginning of September onwards accelerated the ripening process with a sharp increase in sugars.
This summery weather accompanied by a warm drying wind also allowed for the vines to maintain a satisfactory sanitary state. The hailstorms unfortunately destroyed a number of important parcels in the Mâconnais and in the vineyards of the Côte d?Or at different stages of their vegetative cycle. Contrary to 2003, nature showed herself to be kind and the wine-growers had to go ahead with intensive green harvesting to control the yields, taking off the damaged grapes or leaf-thinning.
In mid-september estimations put the forthcoming harvest at about 10% above that of an average harvest.
Although the particularly successful 2002 and 2003 vintages are tasting beautifully at the moment, it is still to early to define the profile for the 2004 vintage.
We will have to wait until after various tastings in November in Beaune, Chablis and in the Auxerrois region before getting a preliminary idea of the qualities of the 2004 harvest.