Wine Advisor
Fontaine Gagnard, Criots Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru was picked on the first day of the harvest. It has a well defined, quite stony, austere bouquet that will benefit from 3-4 years in bottle. The palate is powerful on the entry with orange rind and apricot notes, quite spicy with good weight on the finish that leaves the mouth tingling on the aftertaste for 45+ seconds .Very fine.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is quite floral on the nose, with pressed yellow flowers almost obscuring the slightly tropical fruit. Candied orange peel and touches of apricot emerge with time. The palate is well balanced with a rounded, honeyed texture, low acidity and a heavy dose of oak that dries out the phenolic and overtly spicy finish. It is a decent Criots, though, as I felt just after bottling, the Domaine oversaw better Grand Crus in this vintage. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.
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
