Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2021
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2021 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts unwinds in the glass with aromas of pastry cream, white flowers, crisp stone fruits and light reduction. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and vibrant, it's penetrating and precise.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2021 Puligny-Montrachet les Referts 1er Cru has a very classy nose with vivid Granny Smith apple, crushed limestone and lemon scents that convey joie-de-vivre. The palate is very well balanced with wonderful tension, impressive weight, just a touch of orange rind and lime towards the finish with fine persistence on the aftertaste. Superb.
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.
