Tasted in Puligny-Montrachet with Benoît Riffault, 25 October 2023.
Domaine Etienne Sauzet
11 Rue de Poiseul
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 32 10
www.etiennesauzet.com
Domaine’s Instagram
More reports with Domaine Etienne Sauzet
Benoît on 2023:
“In 23 we harvested quite early – at the end of August-early September – but it wasn’t easy as the maturities were moving faster or slower depending on the heat or not. Volumes were very similar to 22 – generous but still correct – notably in the crus it wasn’t high but it’s still a very good level.”
Benoît on 2022:
“It felt good to harvest something in this year – after 2021 – happy because it’s a correct volume – without excess like 2018. There’s nothing bottled at this stage – the Bourgognes will probably be done at the end of the year then with waves of bottlings finishing in April. All are already assembled in tank now though. Yes, I like them and with a hint more white fruit vs yellow and freshness from the acidity vs the 2020s. The alcohols are not very high in the context of recent warm vintages – no problem with the fermentation this year either.”
The wines…
This domaine has quickly established itself as one of my goto producers for ultimate quality – they have not lost any ground with their 2022s – bravo!
Classic cork is used here to seal the bottles but 49mm with different widths and then finished with wax. All the corks are pre-tested for TCA:
Quite a large-scale nose, round but still with fine, clean freshness – a lovely invitation. In the mouth silky, complex and completely delicious. Yes! A super finishing boost of flavour too – top aligoté.
2022 Bourgogne Chardonnay
this cuvée from 3 parcels in the commune of Puligny, plus some bought grapes from the bottom of Meursault too. It could be Côte d’Or – the label hasn’t yet changed…
More mineral – depth of attractive aroma too – this is exceptionally good for Bourgogne. Calmer and a little softer than the nose suggests – but fine clarity and a small cushion of richness – still excellent – with a larger scale finish too with some citrus skin bitters!
‘We bought a domaine in the Hautes Côtes behind Le Rochepot after the 2014 harvest – the esprit here is a little like St.Romain.’ 4-500 m of altitude here, made in foudres.
More perfumed and wider than the Bourgogne. Hmm, a small cushion then a width of mineral intensity. That’s a super finish with a little sherbet style here. Great Bourgogne – super length!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet
Usually, 12 parcels in 7 different climats – a large part from Les Meix – approaching one-third. Houlières, Enseigneres, Rue au Vaches and others…
Breadth and energy to this nose. The most incisive so far – clearly plenty of acidity but wrapped in a beautifully perfumed flavour profile – the middle and finish still showing some oak flavour – which will fade over the next 12 months. Delicious and invigorating – another long finish!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er La Garenne
Direction Blagny with some depth of soil here.
Finer, more mineral – less open but super. A more supple middle and the acidity is less overt vs the villages yet the juiciness seems more. A little oak padding here too but less than the villages – the finish equally long but more saline in style.
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Sous les Puits
A new cuvée here, young vines from near la Garenne.
Less incisive than the Garenne but with a fine and silky impression to the aromas. Hmm – I like! Wide, silken, intense, the oak on a lower level. Almost chewy concentration in this finish – lovely, lovely wine…
A smaller, more airy but very perfumed nose – simply lovely. Clarity and minerality – that’s fantastic! Mouth-watering, almost juicy style of fresh agrume fruit – that melts over the palate and it’s so, so complex. Great!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champsgains
Deeper – a very attractive accent of reduction here today. More volume and open style but melting wonderfully over the palate – some oak still visible in the middle flavours, for now. But a wine with a hint of generosity and outstanding flavours
A suggestion of oak then a very lovely floral perfume – a great invitation! Not the largest volume in the mouth there’s a core of mineral and vibrant flavour – it almost buzzes on the palate.I love this – slowly fading and melting over the palate. That’s a great Perrières.
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Referts
Another change of register with higher-toned complexity here – almost a slightly exotic citrus but delivered with fine fresh energy. More density to this flavour – but still mobile and open. Wide finishing waves of flavour lap over the shore (my tongue!) in this absorbing finish. Simply excellent wine
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champs Canet
A small but oh-so fine nose – that’s really lovely! Mineral, delicate yet strong at the same time – porcelain! Easy over the palate – almost calming – but not due to any deficiencies – it’s rather the strength of this wine. Perfumed, quite floral finishing and holding so well – Simply beautiful!
A fuller nose but with an airy side – depth of mineral notes here too – simply great! In the mouth too – more presence , super-fine texture and a complexity of citrus. Wonderful wine again – great length, great Puligny!
Chevalier side of Folatières
Fresh and deep – hints of barrel still here. Wonderfully mineral and with an almost incisive cut to the mineral-citrus flavours. Clarity and growing intensity – but still retaining a calm aspect. Extra – practically GC finishing intensity – this is special – bravo!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Combettes
Tighter in the high tones but broad and fresh and also perfumed in the middle aromas. Clarity, purity and minerality – what a wine! Almost juicy and growing ever-larger in the finish. Über-fine finishing tannic texture.
Part Pernand, part Ladoix – ‘I worried how this would work out and how it would fit into the range as I’ve never made a Charlemagne – it’s clearly grand cru though – we can see that difference.’
Hmm – such an involving nose – at first perfumed, then faintly of mint then less showy – it intrigues! Muscular – lithe muscle – silky and intense. An intensity that seems to increase more and more after you swallow – then fade ever-so slowly – a seamless wine of grand quality!
2022 Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet
The third parcel away from Pucelles, old vines, planted 1936 – a small cuvée
Transparent – such clarity – that’s automatically a great nose. After the Corton this is more melting and less overtly powerful – but more sinuous and comforting. The finish is panoramic and holds so well – pluses and minuses vs the (great!) Corton – but this is a more ‘comfortable’ wine today…
The continuation of their Bienvenues parcel that runs all the way up to the Montrachet vines of Laguiche and just over the road from Pucelles.
A slightly larger and rounder nose vs the Bienvenues – and clearly more attractively complex too! Here there’s more impact and more implied minerality too but this wine fills every corner of your mouth. Seamless again but with such scale! Great, great finishing!
2022 Chevalier-Montrachet – there is none! The supplier was sold – there was none in 2021 either, because of the frost.
2022 Montrachet
Technically ‘Le Montrachet’ but not on the label
A super nose – you can smell it before your nose is all the way into the glass – scale and a little more honied complexity. The shape is very fine in the mouth and the complexity is really exceptional – but in terms of the shape and texture this is still a wine to wait for – right now the previous GCs seem more complete. The finish is one that transfixes me though – it seems to have everything and it doesn’t end – I have high hopes!