If Gevrey-Chambertin is the king of red Burgundy, Puligny-Montrachet is the queen of white. In Clives Coates’ seminal book, “Côte d’Or,” he boldly went on record stating “Puligny-Montrachet is the greatest white-wine commune on earth.” Hard to disagree once you eye a map: With the great Montrachet, its Grand Cru siblings, and a lineup of Premier Cru vineyards that could blitz right past almost any other Chardonnay in its price range, it will (and should) forever be revered as wine royalty.
Accordingly, prices can put an outrageous dent in your wallet. But not today’s insider wine: From the resurgent Château de Puligny-Montrachet, this biodynamic white Burgundy is crafted by the supremely talented Étienne de Montille and hails from a single, walled vineyard (
clos) directly in front of the
château. All these factors add up to a super wine that oozes value, but that’s not what makes today’s offer a real “insider” exclusive. This special vineyard lies on the literal fringe of Puligny-Montrachet’s demarcation line: Tee up a golf ball, aim west, and take a swing—it will land in the heart of Puligny’s fabled vines. Everything about “Clos du Château” is exceptional and we have no doubt that it would flourish alongside its classic Premier Cru neighbors. No wonder another Burgundy expert, Allen Meadows, labels it an “outstanding top value.” This is one to jump on!
Château de Puligny-Montrachet’s winemaker, Étienne de Montille, is pretty much Burgundian royalty: his family tree includes 17th-century Volnay lords. Étienne’s late father, Hubert, earned a name for his family domaine by crafting whites happy to sit almost as long in the cellar as the reds. Then it was Étienne’s turn. After stretches in law and a brief year bartending at Chez Panisse in California, Étienne realized where his heart lay. He returned home and apprenticed under his exacting father. In addition to overseeing operations at the family domaine, which he took over in 1990, he and his sister, Alix, created a well-known négociant business. In 2012, he purchased the historic Château de Puligny-Montrachet, which he had run since 2001. He revived the château’s fortunes largely by focusing on the health and sustainability of its vineyards—not only converting them to organic/biodynamic farming but reducing overall wine production by 20 percent to focus on a smaller number of bottlings.
The 2016 vintage was a short one for a number of vintners, but Château de Puligny-Montrachet labeled it as an “unexpected success”—thanks in large part to their 11-acre, stone-walled site that tempered winds and trapped the much-needed heat in order to ward off the threat of mildew after a wet spring. Despite the weather making it harder on them, they stuck to their biodynamic principles and for it, they were rewarded. After hand harvesting their limited, yet perfectly ripe, crop, the lightly pressed juice was transferred into a combination of 600- and 228-liter barrels (a tiny portion of which were new) where both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation occurred. After 12 months of aging, the wine was racked and sent into stainless steel vats for six months of additional resting. It was lightly filtered prior to bottling.
Like many great white Burgundies in their youth, this wine starts shy but becomes the life of the party with oxygen. I recommend a 30-60 minute decant while maintaining a steady 55-60 degree drinking temperature. Pull out your large Burgundy stems for this one: The 2016 “Clos du Château” displays a brilliant straw-yellow core with soft silvery reflections. On the nose are notes of raw hazelnut, yellow apple skin, white peach, lemon cream, lime blossoms, oyster shell, white pear, honeysuckle, and the faintest touch of baking spice. Bright acidity soars from the start, only elevating the intense crushed rock minerality and superb freshness on the finish. It’s layered, certainly, but the mineral verve and piquant flavors take center stage. It’s not a well-endowed Montrachet, nor is it a steely Chablis. There is noticeable weight and structure, with electric layers that mirror serious Puligny-Montrachet. Consequently, I see this lasting 10 years or more if stored properly, with its best years coming after 2020. When opening, just remember the above service notes and pair it with the following lemon-butter halibut recipe. A double-digit dining experience that feels like triple? You can’t go wrong. Cheers.
