Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Canet 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru has an open, forward bouquet with Golden Delicious, peach skin and light nectarine scents. It's perhaps a little high-toned for a Premier Cru Puligny. That said, it does cohere with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with a slightly honeyed entry, yet the acidity upholds nervosité and poise and keeps this Puligny on an even keel towards its concentrated finish. An intense wine, this could have tipped over into something a bit brash and generic, but an assiduous élevage lifts it and safeguards its cellaring potential. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
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.
