Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet unfurls in the glass with a superb bouquet of citrus oil, crisp green apple, wheat toast, freshly baked bread and mandarin, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and complete palate that's deep and layered, underpinned by incisive acids and concluding with a long, mineral finish. It's hard to choose between this and the more muscular, introverted Combottes, but both are worth a special effort to seek out.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru is a little richer on the nose than J.M. Boillot’s, displaying good definition and touches of dried honey and white flowers; very pure, even if it does not quite exude the mineralité of its peers. The palate sports a bit of reduction, although there is very good weight and acidity, a lot of substance toward the finish and a fine saline aftertaste. This is very promising, but it requires patience and a cool, damp cellar. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
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.
