Montrachet
This famous grand cru of the Côte de Beaune is reputed to be the greatest of all Burgundy white wines. Its vineyard plots lie in the villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. There is in fact a family of Montrachet appellations that includes AOC Montrachet, of course, as well as four nearby grands crus: AOC Chevalier-Montrachet, AOC Bâtard-Montrachet, AOC Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and AOC Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. Montrachet was among the first appellations to be recognised in France on 31 July 1937. The appellation covers 7.79 hectares (Montrachet alone), and 31.22 hectares if you include all the grand crus mentioned above. Of course, the only grape variety allowed is Chardonnay, which has been recognised since the 17th century as producing the region's finest white wines. These wines reveal aromas of butter, warm croissant, dried fruit and spices, with a honey-like creaminess. The texture, which is both enveloping and deep, reflects all the complexity of this great terroir.
Montrachet’s etymological origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was called “Mont Rachaz” in Old French (mont is French for mount or hill), then “Montrachat” – râche meaning bald – for its bare hillsides. This lack of vegetation is due to shallow soils lying on hard limestone, which is traversed by a band of reddish marl. The altitude of Montrachet ranges from 250 to 270 metres.
The wines are both exceptional and rare, produced by some of Burgundy’s finest estates, including Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Comtes Lafon, Jacques Prieur and Marc Colin & Fils, as well as Louis Jadot, Bouchard Père & Fils, Roche de Bellene and Louis Latour.
