Wine Advisor
Pierre Yves Colin Morey, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(Colin has two 350-liter barrels of Bâtard in 2017, as he has supplemented his parcel of 70-year-old vines with the equivalent of another barrique of wine from 85-year-old vines owned by his father-in-law on the Chassagne side of the appellation): Bright yellow-green. At once deeper-pitched and more discreet on the nose than the Bâtard but still offering lovely floral lift to its aromas of fresh white peach and pear blossom. Then wonderfully dense, even thick, in the mouth, but at the same time high-pitched, adamantly dry and classic, conveying a suggestion of smoked meat and a powerful, slightly phenolic character more akin to a red wine. The tiny berries here yielded just 28 hectoliters per hectare, and that may explain why this seriously concentrated wine is compact and austere in the early going. Delivering great volume without any undue weight, this very distinctive Bâtard will be slow to evolve and should be long-lived. (13.3% alcohol)
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Pierre-Yves Colin's greatest wine this year is the 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, which hails from a parcel of 90-year-old vines planted on the Chassagne side that he farms but doesn't own. Unfurling in the glass with complex aromas of Meyer lemon, nutmeg, honeycomb, dried white flowers, pastry cream and subtle new wood, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with a layered, broad-shouldered mid-palate, excellent concentration and a long, vibrant finish.
About the Producer
Maison Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is a Burgundy producer based in Chassagne-Montrachet, in the Côte de Beaune subregion. It is known for its fine Chardonnay wines, and has most of its vineyard holdings in Saint-Aubin. The estate was established in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Pierre-Yves Colin and Catherine Morey, both children of esteemed Burgundy winemakers. Colin had been winemaker at his family's winery since 1995 and in 2001 started a négociant business with his wife. In 2005, he left the family estate to establish his own label with his six-hectare (15-acre) share – the rest of the Colin vineyards remained with his three siblings (Caroline, Joseph and Damien, who run Domaine Marc Colin). Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey has holdings in several premier cru sites in Saint-Aubin and Chassagne-Montrachet including Chatèniere, Champlots, Remilly, Chenevottes and Caillerets. On top of this, the domaine buys grapes to make wines from several grand cru vineyards, including Bâtard-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne. The estate predominantly makes Chardonnay, but also produces a small amount of Pinot Noir from Saint-Aubin and Santenay. In the cellar, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey does not employ battonage but favors lengthy lees contact and barrel aging. The wines are bottled without filtration and often without fining.
