Puligny-Montrachet “Les Climats” AOC 2023

Wine description for Puligny-Montrachet “Les Climats” AOC 2023 by Thomas-Collardot

Character

A Puligny-Montrachet of the understated school: taut, saline, carried by precise citrus fruit and endowed with that fine chalky texture which has made the village world-famous. No clouds of vanilla, no buttered toast — instead transparency, a dry drive and a coolness that clears the palate. A Chardonnay without make-up from a cellar that places craft above spectacle.

Terroir & Origin

Puligny-Montrachet is regarded as perhaps the purest stage for white Burgundy — limestone soils, old vineyard sites, a place where origin becomes legible in the glass. Domaine Thomas-Collardot cultivates a mere 2.5 hectares in the very heart of the village, with parcels in Les Enseignères, Les Nosroyes and Hameau de Blagny (1er Cru). The vines come from Jacqueline Collardot’s grandfathers; in 2010 she brought the vineyards back into the family, and since 2018 she has run the estate together with her son Matthieu. Around 10,000 bottles leave this cellar each year.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chardonnay, vinified with a steady hand: gentle pressing, 24 hours of settling, ageing in used 228-litre casks (pièces) that have seen two to four previous fillings. Village wines such as this rest for sixteen months on the fine lees, are only lightly filtered and not fined at all. Since 2021 the estate has been organically certified; sulphur is largely dispensed with. The result: fine grain, a clear line, 13.5 per cent alcohol, dry throughout.

Food Pairings

A wine that enlivens the table rather than dominating it. Ideal company for pike-perch in beurre blanc, grilled sea bream with lemon, monkfish in a light herb jus or chicken with morels. With Comté or a simple seafood platter, too, its saline drive shows its strength. Serve cool, not ice-cold — and allow the glass a little air.