Wine Advisor
Paul Pillot, Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanee 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Aromas of pear, orange oil, dried white flowers, fresh pastry and bread dough introduce the 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée, a medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that's satiny and seamless, with a layered core of fruit girdled by racy acids. Vibrant and precise, it concludes with a long, chalky finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanée 1er Cru has a touch more volatility than its peers, though it remains well-defined, with orange rind and subtle spicy notes that are accentuated by time in the glass. The palate has a sour lemon note on the entry. Perhaps a bit shrill compared to the best wines of the appellation, but there is certainly no shortage of freshness or tension. I would like it to develop more substance and grip on the finish, and if that transpires, it will deserve a higher score. Nonetheless, it is still an impressive Chassagne-Montrachet. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
About the Producer
The Domaine dates back to the second half of the 19th century when Thierry’s great-grandfather, Jean-Baptiste Pillot, decided to concentrate on viticulture rather than barrel making, having done both for some time previously. His sons, Alphonse and Henri, succeeded him. During their time, the two brothers increased the Domaine’s holdings significantly and began to bottle their own wines. Henri’s son Paul then took over the Domaine in 1968. Paul acquired the prestigious Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru vineyards of Clos Saint Jean, Les Grandes Ruchottes, Les Caillerets, and La Grande Montagne, and the Saint-Aubin 1er Cru of Les Charmois. Today, the domaine counts 13 hectares of vines and is run by Paul’s children: Thierry and Chrystelle. Thierry started working with his father in 1999 and finally took the reins in 2007 and Chrystelle joined the family domaine in 2005. This address has had a good reputation for years, but since Thierry Pillot started implementing changes in the vineyards and in the winery in 2011 there has been an incremental but notable shift upwards in quality. Thierry is dedicated to making wines with energy that highlight their respective terroirs and with each vintage the wines get purer and more refined. Like many other young growers in Burgundy these days, Thierry Pillot understands that the wines are made in the vineyards and he spends most of his time outside caring for his vines. The vineyards are farmed organically without being certified as such. All of the 1er Cru and Grand Crus vineyards are worked exclusively by hand. Thierry trains his vines higher to maximize foliar surface and help with photosynthesis. During de-leafing, leaves are removed toward the bottom, to allow good aeration around the grape bunch, but kept at the top to protect the grapes from the sun. Thierry Pillot follows a non-interventionist approach in the cellar. The 2011 vintage is the vintage Thierry Pillot started implementing some of his own ideas. His first decisions were to make the élévage last longer and to reduce the influence of oak. The wines are now matured for 18 months on their lees. The percentage of new wood is low and Thierry Pillot uses larger-format barrels such as 350-500-liter barrels. After aging the wines spend six months in stainless steel before bottling.
