Tasted in Puligny with Jean-Michel Chartron, the 05 October, 2018.

Domaine Jean Chartron
8 Bis Grande Rue
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 99 19
www.bourgogne-chartron.com

Jean-Michel on 2018:
“Very happy and of course surprised by the volumes – I can only assume it was down to the early season rain and even snow. We did not apply to increase yields vs what was allowed here and in Chassagne but I know some villages even applied for 62 hl/ha in their 1ers – I don’t know if they got it. Here in Pucelles there was plenty of yield as the vines are low down on the slope, but in rocky Folatières and Chevalier there were lower yields. On paper it’s a great vintage – so lets see!”
​
Jean-Michel on 2017:
“I’m happy with 2017, though the bottom of the hill here in Puligny saw some frost. Despite that it was a normal volume – similar to 2015 – so no complaints, that’s partly down to the thick skins of the grapes – it wasn’t the easiest juice to extract, but we had nothing less than 12.8°. Reasonable volumes mean that my prices can be stable, as they went up in 2016.​”

The wines…

“Three wines were already bottled before harvest. I forgot the Côte d’Or label – I will take it in 2018 – you have to declare it as ‘Côte d’Or’ at harvest.”

This domaine – to my impression since about 2012 – is a highlight visit for me. An address used to produce okay but a little pedestrian wine in the 2000’s now consistently makes some magical wines!

2017 Bourgogne Chardonnay, Clos de la Combe
Some 500l barrels, some 228l, and some wooden vats also used for elevage.
A forward, almost extravagant nose. Round, a hint of richness but purity with the weight and lovely texture. Fresh and tasty – yes! Super Bourgogne.
​
2017 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc En Bois Guillemain
Vines in Nantoux, a longtime fermage contract
An extra floral note here. More incisive, direct but beautifully covered structure, a wine with zing and pizzazz. Vibrating with finishing length and flavour. Excellent​

2017 Rully Montmorans ​
A deeper register but at the same time more floral. Hmm, melting, wide, considered but fresh – my favourite I think – but three very different styles. Real elegance here.​

All the wines that follow were racked and sulfured before the harvest and haven’t been moved since then:
​
2017 Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc
Fresh, faint herb, an airy and attractive nose. More direct, wide, mobile – fresh style. An extra peak of finishing flavour – excellent wine – yes!

2017 Pernand-Vergelesses Les Belles Filles
A little grapefruit style aroma. Rounder than the Savigny but similarly open with just a modest extra cushioning, grapefruit style here too, but never sharp or sour. Excellent finishing getting wider and wider.

2017 Meursault Les Pierres
A blend of parcels that are high on the hill towards Puligny – Tillets and Narvaux – ‘I want a Puligny style hence the locations but this very Meursault.’
Directly a different style of aroma, wider, faintly spiced, a suggestion of reduction. Hmm, melting like the Rully with layers of flavour but no lack of fresh interest. Like the Dents du Chien this needs more time, but there’s really fabulous potential…​

2017 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Benoîtes
A more compact nose – the first. Growing, more mineral than most, faintly floral – highly attractive. Sleek, with drive and direction, a faint richness of texture. Oh so mineral – a Chablis with more depth of texture, texturally fabulous, wait for the flavour to develop tough.​

2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Pucelles
Jean-Michel is not yet sure what he will do with this wine as it’s the 100th vintage since the purchase – two different samples to taste:
1. A discreet nose, but with a vibration of fresh orange flesh aroma. A hint of gas, a certain muscle and depth of flavour, faintly reductive but not obviously so, concentrated, mineral, considered flavour. Beautiful texture. With a brighter and more mineral burst on the finish – great length…
2. A little more open, faintly agrume, slight extra complexity and openness. Extra open, super clarity, extra energy, agrume style again. Here is the more energetic of the two also the more saline and weighted of finishing flavour – über length…
Both were harvested the same day, the second sample from the old vines, the first from the ‘young vines’ – 30-40 years-old.
​

2017 Corton-Charlemagne
The first wine tasted from barrel.
A nose of attack, freshness and yellow fruit. Direct, mineral, no prisoners, but approaching the mid-palate, slowly opening, embracing, even comforting. Super Charlemagne. In the end you are old friends…

​