Every serious Burgundy collector perked up the moment they saw today’s offer because “Le Cailleret” is essentially an extension of Grand Cru Montrachet for multiples less. The least expensive new-release Montrachet will run you a cool $600, and that number jumps to four digits quickly when you start peppering in top producers: Ramonet? $4,000. DRC? $9,000. Leflaive? “Fuhgeddaboudit!”
It’s an indisputable fact that Montrachet dominates the ivory tower of Grand Cru Chardonnay, but the savviest buyers know “Le Cailleret” proudly stands alongside it, quite literally: These hallowed vineyards are only separated by a skinny, 15-foot path! Pousse d'Or, one of Burgundy’s most prestigious estates, hand-farms a precious .7-hectare slice of vines here and each tiny annual release is among the most collectible, sought-after, age-worthy Chardonnay bottlings in the world. Owning a case is one of the smartest buys in wine. That, however, is impossible: Even with the importer's entire west coast allocation in our hands—aside from a few bottles that made their way into restaurants—we still must cap purchases at four bottles per person. Still don’t think this is a monumental bottle of world-class Burgundy? Buy one, and we guarantee your tune will change!
As our Burgundy-loving membership is aware, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or is one of France’s blue-chip estates with a history that dates back to the 1100s. At one point in the 1800s, it was part of a larger domaine that also included world-famous DRC and Clos de Tart! The property’s resurgence and modern-day fame came in the mid-20th century when Gérard Potel married into the estate in 1964 and began laying a solid foundation. Upon his death 33 years later, the estate was handed over to current winemaker Patrick Landanger. Over the decades, he has worked tirelessly to acquire some of the best parcels (even foregoing winemaking in the first couple of vintages to seek out prime sites) and from them he has crafted resolutely traditional wines with a long track record for aging.
Look at a map and you’ll see just how perfectly positioned the “Le Cailleret” vineyard is—it abuts Grand Cru “Montrachet,” and does so at the same point on the slope. Sourced from a stone-walled, .7-hectare parcel, Landanger’s naturally farmed grapes are harvested and meticulously sorted, leaving him with very small yields. The wine ferments with indigenous yeasts in 350-liter French oak
barriques, of which 50% are new. It then ages for one year in the same 50-50 mix of new and used oak. Following a specific moment in the lunar cycle, the wine is bottled via gravity without fining or filtration.
First things first: If consuming this in its youth, I would advise pulling the cork in the morning and allowing the bottle to breathe all day in a cool environment or decanting for three hours prior to serving. That said, this 2017 is the most accessible vintage of “Le Cailleret” I’ve tasted from Pousse d’Or in recent years (the 2016 was shy on release) and it's poised to provide great pleasure should you want to break into one of your precious bottles sooner rather than later. Once this wine is introduced to oxygen, it begins rolling out a dizzying list of powerful, complex aromatics: yellow apple skin, white peach, lime zest, salt-preserved lemon, crushed limestone, toasted hazelnuts, dried mushrooms, baking spice, and an intoxicating potpourri of white and yellow flowers. The full-bodied palate is surprisingly inviting at this nascent stage, flaunting layers of tension and ripe fruit that effortlessly blends into the strong mineral backbone that comes with Puligny’s Premier and Grand Cru terroirs. As always, this wine will reward long aging (I don’t think 20 years is out of the question), and it is guaranteed to blossom into something special if you allow it to slumber in your cellar, even if it’s just for another two years. When the time comes, serve it in large Burgundy stems at 55 degrees and either take this to an upscale French bistro or prepare the attached recipe in your kitchen. If choosing the latter, don’t skimp on the ingredients—a high-end Burgundy deserves the best raw material. Cheers!
