Tasted with Alain Chavy in Puligny-Montrachet, 16 October 2023.
Domaine Alain Chavy
5 Rue des Creux de Chagny
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 39 27
Domaine’s Instagram
Alain on 2023 and 2022:
“In 2023 I was very happy wthh the vintage – there was a lovely volume and the grapes were equally lovely.
“With 2022 we can also happy – just the Bourgogne has been bottled, done in August. Maybe we made just a little less volume than in 2023. We have good balance in the wines but it’s a surprise as we had such low malic acid that the malos were done so quickly.”
The wines…
A lovely range with quite some balance between the ‘tension’ and a more contemplative style.
Apart from the Bourgogne, which is already done, the bottlings are planned for the end of February or so:
2022 Bourgogne Blanc
A few parcels mainly in Puligny but a parcel just over the border in Meursault too.
A pretty and ripe yellow citrus nose to start. A wine that eases over the palate – just enough structure and a hint of florals too – that’s very aromatic in the mouth with a good, wide, stony wave of flavour. A hint of austerity to this structure but such a super wine!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet
A blend from 8 different parcels.
Quite a complex agrume to this nose – blood oranges. More direct and saline – the orange flesh, in fact bitter oranges here – novel for me but delicious. Like the Bourgogne I might choose to wait for a couple of years before drinking.
2022 Puligny-Montrachet Les Charmes
A nice width of more standard yellow citrus, slightly floral this time. I like the structure of this wine – the fruit is ripe but just slightly, attractively, strict. Yes – really excellent – also slightly saline and direct finishing too.
2022 St.Aubin 1er En Remilly
Forward, airy, energetic fresh wine with a little white flower extra – yes! Also a very good structure here – sinuous, mobile, flavour – but with just a mm of cushioning, nicely textured depth to this flavour. Finishing with a concentrated core of flavour – again a little floral – that I’m sure will unfurl much further with more patience. Simply a lovely wine.
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Champsgain
Here there’s a little more colour. A finer, more elegant nose – again with a suggestion of white blossom. Broad yet still with intensity, supple but mobile flavour always moving, changing. This has density and interest – they need to come together better but there is time. Delicious, more elegant wine but with depth too. It’s more than very good.
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clavoillon
More open and a bit more minerality to this nose – slowly with some florals too. A subtle but attractive reduction – a mineral depth. This is broad at the base, attractive and very persistent too – I’m really enjoying these wines for their balanced density – not too ‘high-tension’ as some Pulignys can be…
2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatières
This nose is narrower but still showing elegance and the accents of florals, slowly supported by more yellow citrus notes. Hmm this is the most impressive wine in the mouth today – a seamless but mouth-flling expression of the vineyard. Fine textured and hold a faintly saline finish. Simply excellent Folatières!
2022 Chevalier-Montrachet
An exchange of wine with another proprietor.
An impressive ‘noble’ reduction to this wine – real depth on display. Today, just a hint sweet at the edges but the middle flavours have fine fluidity. A super width that’s persistent and mouthwatering. Grand Cru!