Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Montrachet Grand Cru 2010
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2010 Montrachet is sweet, inviting and delicate. Even though Sauzet’s Montrachet is from the Chassagne side, it has an element of finesse that is reminiscent of Puligny. Lemon, white flowers and crushed rocks are woven together in a fabric of unusual class and elegance. Here, too, there is an element of reduction, but this is the wine where that note is least bothersome. Saline notes linger on the precise, nuanced finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. I have to admit I was a bit perplexed by these 2010s from Sauzet. A number of wines were massively reduced and/or heavily sulfured to a degree I did not encounter at any other property I visited. The best selections in the lineup are quite strong, which suggests some of those elements may dissipate over time as the wines integrate, but at the same time, I can only report what is in the glass, and the reality is that some of the wines in this lineup are very awkward at this stage. I suggest readers taste the Sauzet 2010s before making any major commitments. The 2010 harvest started on September 17th. Yields were closer to normal in the village wines, but down by as much as 35% in the premier and grand crus. The wines spent 12 months in oak, 25-35% new for the premier crus, and 35% new for the grand crus, followed by six months in tank. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802
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.
