Critic ratings
vinous
2019
Rating:
94
–94
The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from a one-third hectare of vines of which half is en friche (fallow), so only a couple of barrels are produced. It has a very delineated bouquet with enticing citrus peel, crushed pebbles, Clementine and blackcurrant leaf aromas. The palate is very well balanced with impressive concentration and slightly viscous on the entry. Quite rich for a Bâtard-Montrachet yet poised and mineral-driven on the finish. What a wonderful Bâtard-Montrachet - and I confess that I could not resist a cheeky morning sip!
robert_parker
2014
Rating:
92
–94
The 2014 Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, of which there are three barrels this year (two of them new), has a very intense bouquet: a touch of sea spray and a faint hint of licorice, lime flower and yellow plum. The palate is very well balanced with impressive weight and heft. The acidity is nicely poised, gently building towards a very refined, harmonious finish with lime and Granny Smith apples. It is very persistent Bâtard Montrachet that will give 15-20 years of pleasure.
robert_parker
2013
Rating:
92
–92
Tasted blind at the annual “Burgfest” tasting in Bouilland. The 2013 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is slightly deeper in color than the example from Domaine de la Vougeraie. It has a rich and quite powerful bouquet, but it maintains impressive definition with very subtle tropical scents that do not impede against terroir expression. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, a rich and boisterous Bâtard-Montrachet determined to make an impression, laden with spice and tangy marmalade notes on the finish. What it might lack in sophistication it compensates with sheer bravura, although it does require a couple of years in bottle (as usual with this grand cru). Tasted May 2016.
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
91
–93
The 2015 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a crisp and well-defined bouquet with hints of granite and wet pavement coming through with time. There is something almost haughty about the aromatics, as if looking down upon its Chassagne-Montrachet stablemates and given its precision, it has a right to do so. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, lively and fresh citrus fruit, precise and with fine mineralité towards the saline finish. Excellent.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
93
–93
The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is very promising, offering up a lovely but youthfully reserved bouquet of crisp orchard fruit, vine blossom, honeysuckle, mandarin and pastry cream. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and ample, with a glossy, textural attack, good depth at the core, chewy extract and a gently oak-inflected finish. This is a very good Bâtard that exemplifies the house style.
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
91
–93
There are just three and a half barrels of the 2012 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, the smallest ever. This has a precise, saline bouquet with limestone and chalky scents, but it is very tight at the moment. The palate is tightly wound with a crisp line of acidity, hints of dried peach and pithy fruit informing the weighty finish, although I probably prefer the tension exuded by the Caillerets at the moment. There are four red wines from Gagnard.
Arriving at the winery in Chassagne, I discovered Caroline L’Estime with her flaxen hair, rubber apron and Wellington boots, precariously perched upon a wooden plank above a vat, plunging her Clos Saint Jean rouge. I could not image such a scene in the Medoc. Their Armani suits would get juice splattered all over them. Once she had climbed down and wiped her purple stained hands, we descended to her barrel cellar, bidding hello to her father Jean-Noel in his trademark cloth cap, busying himself around the bubbling barrels of Chardonnay. The baton passed from father to daughter back in 1989, though Caroline is always so young and fresh-faced that you cannot imagine that she already has two decades under her belt. Gagnard’s wines are some of my favorite in Chassagne: consistent, well-crafted, honest and while they might have gained cultish adulation from overseas that can often exaggerate the quality inside the bottle, they more than satisfy Burgundy-lovers like myself and can age extremely well. Caroline’s whites are looking extremely promising this year, especially her Clos des Maltroye, Caillerets and my own personal favorite, her Blanchot-Dessus. And perhaps this is a year when they just might have the audacity to surpass her Batard-Montrachet. We will see – her solitary grand cru tends to be taciturn in its infancy. I found the reds less consistent: unashamedly rustic for the most part and not approaching the quality of her whites that are the mainstay of the domaine.
Importer: Martin Scott Wines; www.martinscottwines.com; and through various importers in the UK (Farr Vintners, Berry Brothers & Rudd and Justerini & Brooks).
robert_parker
2011
Rating:
91
–91
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet 2011 courtesy of Caroline Lestimée has a refined bouquet: bashful at first but opening nicely with scents of lime flower, lemon zest and limestone that are well defined. However, it does require more coaxing than its peers. The palate is crisp and taut with fine acidity. The oak is a little pronounced at the moment, but there is sufficient fruit for it to be assimilated with another 2 or 3 years in bottle. Good potential.
robert_parker
1998
Rating:
87
–89
Gagnard's tight 1998 Batard-Montrachet offers toasted almond and hazelnut aromas. While light to medium-bodied and tight, it appears to possess enough breadth of fruit in its otherwise mineral, spice, and chalk-flavored core to merit an excellent rating. As this wine finishes its elevage, it should gain in body, richness, and breadth. Projected maturity: 2002-2007.
Importers: Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel (805) 686-9153; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
robert_parker
1999
Rating:
91
–92
The 1999 Batard-Montrachet exhibits a deep nose of white fruits, toast, and minerals. Medium to full-bodied, big, rich, and plump, this is an impressively layered and thick wine. It is one of the most robust and fat 1999s I tasted. Layers of yellow fruits coat the taster's palate and last throughout its exceptionally long finish. Projected maturity: 2003-2011.
Importers: Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel (805) 686-9153; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
robert_parker
2000
Rating:
89
–92
The 2000 Batard-Montrachet has a cardamon, toast, and mineral-scented nose. It boasts gorgeous concentration, loads of depth, and a medium-bodied personality. Candied lemons, minerals, and spices are discerned in its velvety-textured character. This layered wine should be at its best between 2003 and 2012.
Importers: Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
robert_parker
2001
Rating:
89
–91
Presenting a juxtaposition between its fleshy richness and crystalline character, the honeyed mineral-scented 2001 Batard-Montrachet is a fascinating wine. Deep, sappy, and intense, it offers outstanding concentration and an expressive, quartz-like character. This light to medium-bodied, satin-textured wine should be drunk between 2005 and 2011.
Importers: Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153; and Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
91
–94
The rich 2002 Batard-Montrachet’s aromas consist of yellow plums, white peaches, minerals, spices, toast, and pears. An oily-textured, concentrated, yet defined wine, it is dense, packed with mineral-laden pears, and displays an admirably long finish filled with juicy candied limes. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2015.
Caroline Lestime, this estate’s director and the daughter of Jean-Noel Gagnard, believes that “people are expecting too much from 2002, though it is a very rich vintage with better ripeness than either 2000 or 2001, especially in the reds, which have excellent balance.” Madame Lestime began harvesting on the 19th of September, starting with her parcel of Batard-Montrachet, which came in at 14% natural potential alcohol.
Importers: Ex Cellars, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153; and Martin Scott, New York, NY
robert_parker
1995
Rating:
91
–94
The Batard Montrachet displays a very deep and enticingly sultry nose of sweet roasted fruits. On the palate, red fruits such as currants and wild raspberries are exhibited in this rich, full-bodied, extremely spicy wine. Possessing excellent length, this is the finest bottle of wine I have tasted from this domaine.
This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Ratings with a range of scores in parentheses indicate the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle.
Importer: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.
robert_parker
1996
Rating:
93
–95
The 1996 Batard-Montrachet has replaced the 1995 as the finest wine I have ever tasted from this estate . Displaying deep, floral, white peach, and mineral aromas, its amazingly rich, full-bodied, and oily-textured core explodes as waves of candied citrus fruits, minerals, metals, pears, honeysuckle, and sweet toasty oak are unleashed across the palate by vibrant and bright acidity. Hugely-structured yet fat and chewy, this expansive, broad and highly-delineated wine possesses an exceedingly long and intricate finish.
The rating, with the range of scores in parentheses, indicates the wine was tasted from cask, not bottle.
Jean-Noel Gagnard's brilliant 1996s will require patience as they have bracing acidity. These are rich, ripe and extremely well-made wines that, with time, will provide remarkable complexity, minerality, and, most importantly, pleasure.
Importers: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
89
–91
Lestime uses 80% new oak barrels on the estate's Batard-Montrachet. The 1997 reveals impressive ripeness, spiced pears, and grilled oak aromas. It is a lovely wine, densely packed with buttery hazelnuts, creamed almonds, toasty apples, and tangy currants. This plump, fat, broad, and medium-to-full-bodied wine has good balance, and an admirably long, nut-flavored finish. Drink it between 2000 and 2006.
Importers: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
