Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes 2013
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the annual “Burgfest” tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes perhaps has a touch of under-ripeness on the nose -- bruised apple intermingling with cold slate-like scents. The palate is quite powerful, missing the nuance of Vincent Girardin's own Les Combettes, though it is still balanced and generates momentum towards the spicy, almost oily-textured finish. Though it does not match my expectations from barrel, I suspect that this will improve with another couple of years in bottle. Tasted May 2016.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Healthy pale yellow. Musky stone fruits and sweet oak on the nose. Large-scaled, intense and bright, with intense stone fruit and hazelnut flavors framed by bright lemony acidity (actually around 4.5 grams per liter). In fact, this is rather unforthcoming today. In a rich style, and less delicate than the Champ-Canet.
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.
