Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2018 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from two parcels. It displays more intensity on the nose compared to the Bienvenue, offering crushed granite/wet limestone aromas, Granny Smith apples and a touch of orange peel. The palate is very saline on the entry, which gets the saliva flowing. This is supremely well focused, taut and linear, with great persistence and precision toward the finish. A superb Bâtard-Montrachet that should age with style.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2018 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru hails from a small parcel just below the Marquis de Laguiche's Montrachet holdings, and it's also performing beautifully. Offering up a lovely bouquet of pear, orange oil, white flowers and clear honey that's framed by a deft touch of oak, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and complete, with a deep and layered core, lively acids and a long, expansive finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2018 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from two parcels. It displays more intensity on the nose compared to the Bienvenue, offering crushed granite/wet limestone aromas, Granny Smith apples and a touch of orange peel. The palate is very saline on the entry, which gets the saliva flowing. This is supremely well focused, taut and linear, with great persistence and precision toward the finish. A superb Bâtard-Montrachet that should age with style.
About the Producer
Etienne Sauzet is an estate based in Puligny-Montrachet, making some of the most sought-after Chardonnay wines in Burgundy. Sauzet's wines are prized for their elegance at village level and for their extra weight and concentration at Premier and Grand Cru level. The portfolio includes leading examples of Chevalier-Montrachet, Le Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champs Gain. The domaine is made up of 15 hectares (37 ac) of estate vineyards split between the communes of Puligny-Montrachet, Cormot-le-Grand and Chassagne-Montrachet with small amounts of fruit externally sourced. The grapes are fermented in oak and aged in barrel for around a year – premier crus see up to 33-percent new oak, while grand crus get 40-percent. After barrel aging, the wines are racked into tanks for another six months on lees. Etienne Sauzet was established at the forefront of Puligny-Montrachet production by Etienne Sauzet himself (1903-1975). His 12 hectare (30 ac) estate was taken over by his son-in-law Gérard Boudot, although in 1991 Boudot's cousin Jean-Marc Boillot took out his share of vineyards, requiring Boudot and his family to make additional acquisitions to bring the property back to its current size.
