Jean-Louis Chavy, Puligny Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Folatières 2020

An incredible wine from one of the top 1er Cru sites in this, one of the top white wine-producing villages in the world. What is almost more incredible is that this producer is a relative newcomer in the region, establishing his own winery in the early 2000s. The wines of Puligny Montrachet are in soaringly high demand and the sky seems to be the limit in terms of pricing, making this example exceptionally good value for money.

This wine, now from the 2019 vintage, is full of aromatic charm and interest, inviting and then compelling you into the glass for a fabulous array of flavour, texture and length. Higher alcohol in this vintage is managed with superb skill and a deft touch.

Jean-Louis Chavy is the son of Gerard and brother of Alain. The two sons split the father's estate holdings (which is fairly common in Burgundy) and share some of the great 1er Cru plots. What is interesting about their story is that Gerard was the first Chavy to bottle the wines that this well-known Burgundy family had been making for over 200 years. Before this, up to 1986, all of the Chavy grapes had either been sold to other producers, or, as is now very much more common practice in the Village (though absolutely no one talks about it), the grapes of the estate were vinified and the actual wines themselves were sold to other domains who then put their name on the bottle after they aged them. This happens a lot. In a sense it's hardly surprising given the massive demand and static availability of grapes, and the price for wine being higher than the price for unfermented, raw grapes. And it might sound a little immoral for others to take the credit, but in fact there is still work to be done in the winery even after the wines get taken in... a house style can be reflected in length and type of aging, bottling practices and so on. But it does make us look for Domaine made and bottled wines first...

So, this Puligny is the real deal. Grapes grown in this vineyard that are from 60-year-old vines. Traditionally made and aged, they are of the more conservative style of the village, but that's not a bad thing, when you're talking about an historic precedent of the best in the world.

All of the Chavy 1er Cru sites are next to the village itself. The Folatières sites that Jean-Louis has cover just over half a hectare in area and are split between two plots, one to the cooler north and the other to the warmer south, creating a perfectly balanced, intense and generous wine. The nose is bright and floral with delightful fruit-weight, with a phenomenal continuity to the palate where white fruits, blossom and mirabelle plums develop. The acid is present and supporting but essentially so well-integrated that you almost don't notice it. Instead, it is the quality and intensity of flavour from old vines that is the star, meaning that even at this early stage of its life this is in outstandingly approachable condition.