Burgundy Domaine Jean Chartron
The Chartron family, in their own words, are “hommes de terroir”, and more specifically the terroir of Puligny-Montrachet. Inextricably linked to this small village in the southern tip of the Côte de Beaune, it was one of Jean-Michel and Anne-Laure’s forebears, as Mayor of Puligny, who managed to get permission to add the area's most prestigious vineyard to the village’s name, becoming Puligny-Montrachet.
This tiny village is the heart and soul of the domaine run by sister Anne-Laure, and brother Jean-Michel; 11 out of the 22 appellations they farm are found here, as well as their winery, which sits in the midst of their vines. (Unusually, most of the caves in this area are above ground due to a large aquifer that sits remarkably close to the surface). When visiting Chartron with guests, often arriving on foot, we love being able to point to the vines directly opposite the cellar before going to taste their end product – rarely do you get such proximity between vine and glass!
Now stretching over 14 hectares, Domaine Chartron is a sizeable player in this extraordinary village. The Chartron wines are in some of the most favoured sites – even the Bourgogne Blanc luxuriates in a vineyard in the middle of Puligny – with many of their premiers crus being exclusive clos. However, sometimes it is useful to have wines which are not quite so illustrious to sell at more modest prices to keep the dedicated Burgundy drinker in the style to which they might be accustomed, so Jean-Michel does an exchange of fruit with various growers in the immediate vicinity to broaden his offering.
Chemical weed killers and the like are completely banned in the vineyards, and the soils have been continually worked since the creation of the domaine; their practices for the most part are in line with organic principles. All grapes are harvested by hand before heading to the winery, where the white wines are left to ferment for between 4 to 6 weeks, mostly in barrels, before undergoing malolactic fermentation. They then spend 8 to 12 months maturing in barrel.
Wines
There is more than a touch of Puligny about Jean-Michel’s Bourgogne Blanc Clos de la Combe, with its racy, linear white stone fruits, citrus and creamy with a lovely long finish which belies its humble name. Find this wine on our list, along side their Chassagne Montrachet les Benoîtes, a lieu dit just below Morgeot, which carries with it some of the power typical of its premier cru neighbour; floral, perfumed, creamy and rich, it has a lovely linear note and a weighty finish. More than a match for any dish.
Their Puligny Montrachet Villages is garnered from two different parcels in Puligny, with vines dating back to the 1950s. Deliciously layered with creamy lemon fruit and hints of patisserie behind, it is truly stunning. Check the link below for the current vintage.
Click here for current availability or call us on 01353 721 999. For marketing queries, please contact Laura Taylor at laura@privatecellar.co.uk
