Wine Advisor
Fontaine Gagnard, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet of vine blossom, acacia honey, mandarin oil, ripe pears and hazelnuts, the 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is full-bodied, unctuous and dense, with a blockier, more foursquare profile than the lavishly expansive Criots, with more depth and concentration too, concluding with a long, mouthwatering finish. This is quintessential Bâtard.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
(the Fontaines' vines are ideally situated on the Chassagne side of Bâtard, not far from the border with Puligny): More reduced and less pristine on the nose than the Criots-Bâtard. Then dense, tactile and very deep on the palate, conveying terrific definition and floral lift for young Bâtard. Like the best of these '17s, this shows a captivating sweet/salty quality. Finishes vibrant, tactile and very long, with outstanding mineral grip. Like the Criots-Bâtard, this wine is carrying a healthy four grams per liter of acidity, notes Céline Fontaine. Its impression of strong dry extract suggests that it has the stuffing to age slowly and gracefully
About the Producer
Laurence Gagnard and Richard Fontaine founded the domaine in 1985 with passion and enthusiasm; their daughter Céline joined the estate in 2007. The family has worked in the vineyards for several centuries, and the domaine carries on this legacy - love of the "terroir" and the search for the best possible quality. Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard works on 22 different appellations, including three Grands Crus: Bâtard-Montrachet, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet and the crown jewel, Le Montrachet. The estate covers 12 hectares mainly in Chassagne and the winemaking methods are traditional: hand-picking, settling fermentation using natural yeasts, ageing in oak barrels (0 to 30% new oak, depending on the appellation), fining and light filtration. The white wines are bottled after one year of maturation; red wines stay in the barrel for up to 18 months, depending on the vintage. "Fontaine-Gagnard is a Chassagne domaine that has really upped the ante in recent vintages since Celine Fontaine has taken the reins. This was a splendid showing of wines, one of the most comprehensive in Chassagne" Wine Advocate
