Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines AOC 2024

A pale, taut Chardonnay that shows its elevation without embellishment. The aromatics are citrusy and clear: starfruit, greengage, pineapple and salted lemon, joined by foliage and blossom with a very fine touch of wood and vanilla. Pale golden in the glass, dry, 13.0% vol.

Les Baudines lies at the southern end of Chassagne, at the uppermost part of the hill, directly adjoining Les Embazées and the boundary of Santenay. The soil is white and remarkably deep. Thomas Morey, tenth generation of a family rooted in Chassagne-Montrachet since 1643, founded his estate in 2007 and, together with Sylvie Morey, farms 13 hectares across seven villages of the Côte de Beaune, including six Premier Crus in Chassagne-Montrachet.

Pure Chardonnay. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in a combination of neutral barrel and tank, with malolactic fermentation occurring naturally. The wine rests on its lees without any bâtonnage, and the new oak share is around 20%. Sulphur is added only during the final six months in barrel, in several minimal doses, so that the wine never exceeds 35 mg/l in total.

Slender and mineral, citrusy and chalky, with ripe yet clear acidity. The 1er Cru is piquant and still slightly reductive, the texture appearing veiled. It needs time to shine, and has every attribute to do so.

Thomas Morey works across 57 parcels and converted the estate to organic viticulture from 2011. No sulphur is used during fermentation, which is exclusively spontaneous. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti has entrusted him with tending its vines in Le Montrachet Grand Cru.