Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru 'Les Combettes' Jean-Marc Boillot 2019

Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru "Les Combettes" is Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot's interpretation of one of the major Premier Cru for white wines in the entire Côte d'Or. The cru name on the label is rather surprising: there are no little valleys to enliven the vineyard slope. Yet, it is certain that they existed at some time in its historical era and that they were filled with topsoil to form a level land suitable for agricultural purposes.

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot makes its Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru "Les Combettes" from Chardonnay grapes harvested manually at full maturity and with painstaking expertise in the vineyard. The estate parcel covers an area of less than half a hectare and is populated with vines over 60 years old and trained with a very dense planting pattern, around 12,000 vines per hectare. The soil is characterized by the typical limestone basement, but covered by a marly formation known as "a grifea": this is an oyster that lived in a particularly remote period, which allows these soils to be considered the oldest in all of Burgundy. Winemaking in the cellar follows simple and equally ancestral rules: after pneumatic pressing of whole bunches with subsequent resting on the fine lees for 24 hours, alcoholic fermentation proceeds spontaneously in French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the same containers and aging requires a period of 11 months in Allier and Vosges pieces, 25% or 30% new, without racking but with weekly batonnage. Clarification or filtration is carried out before bottling.

Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot's Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru "Les Combettes" has a shiny golden yellow color, radiant and uniform. The spectrum of aromas is broad and rich, emblematically representing one of Puligny's terroirs of greatest substance: the freshest floral aromas of the apple tree are supported by the ripe fruity notes of peach and the sugary, pungent nuances of candied citrus zest, with an earthy undertone peeking through from time to time. The mineral sensations make no attempt to hide, heralding the powerful and endless saline nuance of the tasting. The sip is very precise, with a great concentration, a soft texture of infinite elegance and a breath of pure freshness. A great test of character from Jean-Marc, who was fortunate to learn the art of winemaking from his grandfather, Etienne Sauzet.