[ Home > Wines > Burgundy & Beaujolais > Burgundy & Beaujolais > Drouhin Chassagne Montrachet - Laguiche 2006 ]
Situated in the South of the Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet is one of the five villages making up the prestigious "Côte des Blancs" ("the slope of the whites"). It also produces a red wine. The white wines come mainly from brown clay and limestone soils. The slopes face East and South-East. The Chardonnay is the only grape variety used for the whites. Chardonnay was the favourite grape of Charlemagne. He granted land and Roman cellars in Burgundy to the monks with the stipulation that they expand plantings of this marvellous vine. During the Renaissance, the Dukes of Burgundy claimed these vineyards and cellars for themselves, the best of which are to-day part of the vast Drouhin family estate. This superb white wine comes from the estate of the Marquis de Laguiche, the largest owner of Le Montrachet. Since 1947, Maison Joseph Drouhin has the entire charge of the estate, from the cultivation of the vineyards to the vinification of these two famous wines and their distribution around the world. The grapes are picked by hand in small crates, then carefully brought to Joseph Drouhin winery in Beaune. After a slow and gentle pressing, the juice ferments in 228 litre oak barrels. The percentage of new oak varies with the vintage, never exceeding 40%, so that oak never dominates the fruit. The wine stays in barrels for 9 to 10 months. Chassagne-Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche has a lovely gold green colour. The nose is elegant, with pear, vanilla and apple as the dominant flavours. The wine is well balanced and round with a nice fruity finish. Very long and complex, this is a superb example of a great Chardonnay from Burgundy. |
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