PULIGNY-MONTRACHET > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 2020

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2023

Varietal

100% Chardonnay.

Tasting notes

Colour: A golden colour with green tinges.

Nose: Floral aromas of honeysuckle, acacia and jasmine, and a hint of grilled almonds.

Palate: A generous, well-balanced wine offering a lively attack and a good freshness. The finish has a long after-taste on light vanilla nuances.

Food and wine pairing

This great with Burgundy will be ideal with a pan-fried foie-gras, a creamy fish dish and all cooked white meats such as a chicken in cream sauce, smoked salmon, shellfish, and veal sweetbreads.

Serving suggestions

The ideal serving temperature is around 12°C to 14°C. (55°F.).

Ageing potential

An excellent wine for laying down: ideal for ageing in a cellar for the 7 to 9 years but can also be appreciated from now.

Origins

Puligny-Montrachet is a village in the Côte de Beaune, located in the area that produces the best white wines in Burgundy: the Golden Triangle, bounded by the villages of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.

The second name "Montrachet" was only added at the end of the 19th century, to make the link with the grands crus that can be produced in the village. The appellation covers 211.46 hectares and produces almost exclusively white wines. Around a third of the appellation (98.18 hectares) is classified as Premier Cru, and these Premiers Crus contain 17 different Climats. The village also produces 5 Grands Crus.

The soil is mainly composed of ochre limestone. The subsoil is made up of layers of marl, which play a major role in the structure of the appellation's wines. The vines are located on the plain with a south-east exposure that protects them from the north wind and is ideal for getting maximum sunshine and ensuring good ripeness.

Vinification and maturing

Alcoholic fermentation and malolactic fermentation take place over several weeks, with once daily stirring to release the aromas. The wines then mature in the same casks for 10 to 14 months, 25% new oak.

Vintage : 2020

All over Burgundy, 2020 was notable for its mildness and low rainfall. After a winter with no serious frosts, we went straight into a spring dominated by sunny, dry weather, resulting in very early bud break. Infrequent outbreaks of rain in June and July were not enough to stave off water shortages. Very high summer temperatures combined with intense sun exposure levels led to the vines gradually falling prey to hydric stress, causing delays to fruit ripening before harvest-time.

Once again, the vegetative cycle was shortened, being almost three weeks ahead of 2019’s. Thankfully, the harvest was saved by the relative cool of the nights. The harvest was of marvellous quality but there was very little juice in the red grapes (reduction of 30 to 50%), and reasonable potential alcohol, despite the heat. The whites, on the other hand, coped very well with these extreme conditions and yields were very good.

Relatively poor yields for the reds, normal yields for the whites. Some appellations achieved excellent levels of optimal ripeness, with 50% of grapes harvested with the ‘vendange entière’ (no destemming) approach.