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Wine Description
The Story
The Montrachet of Marquis de Laguiche belongs to this Pantheon. This property (2.06 hectares - 5.15 acres) is actually the largest parcel of the Montrachet vineyard and has been in the hands of the Laguiche family since 1363. The Drouhin family is in charge of its cultivation and vinification and, since 1947, has spread and preserved its worldwide renown.
In the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, the estate of the Marquis de Laguiche is entirely located on the Puligny side of the appellation. A very mild slope and a great south-east exposure.
History & tradition: at every period of history, a few vineyards have been considered heirloom treasures for their incomparable quality.
Soil: brown-red earth, strewn with white, polished limestone pebble. The word "rachet" in Montrachet means infertile land, where nothing can grow.
Viticulture:Plantation density: from 10,000 stocks/ha in order to extract all possible nuances from the terroir.
Pruning: Guyot.
Yield: 48hl/ha. Low on purpose to limit the production of each vine stock.
Vinification
Harvesting: by hand, in small open crates in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.
Sorting: if necessary, the grapes are sorted twice : once when being picked, the second time on the sorting table at the winery.
Pressing: very slow so as to respect fruit. Juices from the very last pressings are not retained
The wine goes directly into barrels after débourbage (decanting of white wine to reduce sediment).
Ageing
Type: in barrels (0% in new oak).
Length: 15 to 18 months.
Origin of the wood: French oak forests.
Weathering of the wood: Joseph Drouhin insists on total control of the weathering for a period of 3 years, one of the contributing elements to the elegance of the wine.
Throughout the ageing process, decisions are taken only after careful tasting evaluation. The data obtained is then completed through technical analysis. As with every other Joseph Drouhin wine, absolute priority is given to the true expression of terroir and character of the vintage.
Serving
Temperature: 14-15°C (58-60°F).
Cellaring: 10 to 40 years.
Vintage 1996
1996 VINTAGE in Burgundy
Maturity levels were in general high following a long hot summer. The wines from the famous Pinot Noir have an intense ruby red colour with lush red fruit aromas. They are wines that are comparable with the outstanding 88s and 89s. The whites are just as outstanding full-bodied with elegant vibrant Chardonnay fruit and sweet white flower and grilled nut aromas. These are wines that have the potential to age magnificently.
Each harvest we hope for three things, favorable weather conditions, healthy grape clusters and high sugar levels. The 1996 harvest provided all of these. April was particularly sunny and brought about an early bud burst (18th of April). Following this we had what can be described as a flash flowering which leads to good pollination, creating high yields.
Arean had low rainfall levels, a sturdy breeze (which kept rot to a minimum) and a long ripening period. These factors created high sugar levels and good acidity within the grapes. Cloud cover in August, combined with the coldest September on record meant that the sugar levels were exceptionally high and so was the acidity: 12% potential alcohol with 5.5g of acidity for Corton Reds and 13%-14% potential alcohol with 6g of acidity for Corton Charlemagne.
As a result, most are very pleased with the 1996 vintage. The reds have an intense color, good tannin structure and concentrated Pinot Noir flavor. The white wines are also impressive, containing plenty of rich fruit character, a crisp acidity and are already showing an attractive bouquet.
