Tasted in Chassagne-Montrachet with Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard, 19 October 2021.
Domaine Blain-Gagnard
17 Route de Santenay
21190 Chassagne-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 34 07
More reports with Domaine Blain-Gagnard
Jean-Marc on 2021:
“Well, the grand crus were really not too bad as we used a lot of candles. Unfortunately, most of our whites in 21, though, were very low yielding.”
Jean-Marc on 2020:
“2020 was also only half a harvest, for the reds, the vines became tired from the dryness. It was a more typical vintage than 2019 though was rich and sunny – most are more for keeping I think. The volume of whites was better than the reds – 60-70% of normal. We find the whites more typical of Chassagne than was the case in 2019, the acidity wasn’t so high but we managed to preserve a lot of that tartaric acid so the wines have good energy. We easily finished our harvest in August, we were underway 21-26 August.”
The wines…
Some lovely reds this year but the starts are the whites with their extra clarity and fine definition – that’s a great Montrachet too!
First, the reds. Racked in mid-July, not to be bottled before spring:
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet
5 parcels, terres de mines – lots of iron. About 1 ha worth.
The nose is guarded – it was racked in July. Hmm, much rounder and more accomodating than the nose had prepared me for, round faintly tannic but no dryness. Tasty finishing – not yet the ultimate in sophistication but tasty wine.
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean
In Rebichets, above the church, ‘this is the Volnay of Chassagne’
Hmm, thats a very love,y nose – more open, more floral – it’s a fine invitation. Much fresher, layered, faintly tannic – I find this delicious, simply an excellent wine.
2020 Volnay 1er Pitures
Soil is marne here.
A little tighter again but plenty of heft and dark fruit in its depth. Big, but full of energy, layered and complex too – more rustic but so full of material vs the CSJ.
2020 Volnay 1er Champans
Here is more width of attractively cushioned fruit – very perfumed. Cushioned, more sophisticated – lots of structure – but completely balanced and long. Super wine.
2020 Pommard
2 vines combined – close by in the flats near the border of Volnay. Lots of clay.
Really impressive colour – ‘yes, it’s the small harvest here, we lost nearly 80% and afterwards decided to pull put a section.’ Higher toned, almost inky style to the nose. Direct, tannic but hardly an ounce of grain – long, more mineral finishing. I like this serious, but not too serious, wine.
Les blancs
Whites tasted from barrel, wines that will be bottled before year end:
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet
6 parcels that include about 30% premier cru. Champs Gain and Grand Montagne.
This has a nice width of freshness. Mouth-filling, full of energy, nicely mouth-watering and not a little mineral too. Not overtly concentrated but very tasty wine…
2020 Puligny-Montrachet
From Rue au Vache
An elegant and attractive nose, if rather compact. Wide, almost juicy – a little extra complexity too. Long and stony finishing. Very good wine.
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos St.Jean
Plenty of colour. Brighter and fresher nose. Ooh – here is a concentration that I didn’t see in the previous wines – wide, seamless beautiful wine – golden fruit with a strong mineral line into the finish. Super!
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Boudriotte
This could also take the label Fairendes – or Morgeot!
A strong nose, of minerals and golden fruit. Hmm, this is my new favourite – intense more mineral style. I like this a lot – very mouthwatering. Really my style
2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Caillerets
Two types of soil, white with stones, marne à huitres above, here with rows which run bottom to top so the expression of the two soils. The bottom of the slope resembles Clos St.Jean a little – it’s on the same geological band.
A compact nose but of easy ripe lemon fruit and some purity. More mouth-filling. A little tannic. Beautifully finishing with some salinity too – nice detail here.
2020 Criots Bâtard-Montrachet
‘Centre of the vineyard opposite Bâtard, lots of stones here. Before AOC grandfather always sold as Bâtard but after INAO did soil analysis it was agreed that it should remain grand cru, but the people of Puligny didn’t want it to be called Bâtard. One of the most charming grand crus. This together with the Morgeot are the two vines that need most watching as they can change to over-ripe very quickly.’
Not forward yet a seamless mineral width of aroma. Really mineral, concentrated yet with a more than adequate balance. Big-boned but not bony – long finishing too – I’d like a bit more energy but will accept it for what it is – direct south-facing 😊
2020 Bâtard-Montrachet
In chassagne, actually the domaine own 3 parcels but one is being replanted so just two in this wine.
Also a compact nose – but with a faint spice – barrel spice I think but anyway attractive. Easier, more talkative, more melting style over the palate. Very faintly tannic – the finish actually grows and grows – here is something very impressive – though perhaps just a little discreet before that today. Excellent wine.
2020 Le Montrachet
2 ouvrées, exceptionally 2 barrels, normally 1.5, they normally take a barrel bought for Bâtard to use in its second year for the Montrachet.
Here is a nose that’s a little more open, silky, round, ripe citrus – still primary. Hmm, here is the best of all – there’s no doubt – intensity, mobile energy, plenty of minerality and citrus complexity. Easily the best, there’s certainly’s an extra level to this wine.