PULIGNY-MONTRACHET > BOUCHARD Ainé & Fils

PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 2021

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2021 2022 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

From 5 to 8 years.

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, 30% new oak.

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.