Domaine Blain-Gagnard

Chassagne Montrachet Boudriotte 1er Cru 2008

This is one of the finest white Burgundy estates. It is run by Jean-Marc Blain and his wife Claudine, the daughter of Jacques Gagnard-Delagrange. The family owns some of the village’s greatest hillsides. New oak barrels are never used to excess, being subtly spread amongst the different cuvées, so that spicy oakiness is never perceptible here. Blain is also prudent with stirring-up of the lees. Here the finished wines have great purity of fruit, with balanced acidity and long, clean flavours which clearly evoke the wines’ precise origins. La Boudriotte is one of the Premier Cru vineyard sites within the appellation of Chassagne-Montrachet and is actually located within the grounds of the Morgeot Abbey. Typical lean spicy pear nose that is then followed by a rich, firm, grainy and almost earthy palate. There is good concentration and richness which translates into a spicy, vigorous and long finish.