Jean-Louis Chavy Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champ-Gains 2023

Variety: Chardonnay
Country Region: France, Burgundy, Côte-de-Beaune
Appellation: Puligny-Montrachet

55 yo vines. This 1er cru is located high on the slope, just above Folatieres. Jean-Louis describes this wine as always showing very well from a young age. “Fresh, bright orchard aromas; as always quite floral and high toned. Bright citric fruit on the palate with lively acid structure and excellent length. More discrete and tightly woven than the 2 above 1er cru’s, but with excellent potential as the structure and balance are impressive. Very promising.” 

Whilst Chavys have been living in Puligny-Montrachet for over 200 years it was not until 1986 that Gerard Chavy started to estate bottle his own wine (previously the wines were sold to negociants).

The estate of Gerard Chavy was split into 2 separate estates by his sons, Jean-Louis Chavy, and Alain Chavy following the Gerard’s retirement in 2005. We import the wines from Jean-Louis who works from his immaculate temperature controlled winery adjacent to his house at the eastern end of the village proper. Jean-Louis’ son Paul has been working with his father for the last few years and has begun his own range of wines (both red and white) from purchased fruit, thus far from Saint-Romain, Aloxe-Corton and Gevrey-Chambertin.

Vinification is classic with whole bunch pressing and 24 hours of settling with temperature control and only natural yeasts used for fermentation. Jean-Louis has not used any bâtonnage on any cuvées for some years now. The average age of vines at this estate is impressive with most vineyards now aged between 30 and 50 years old, with some of the oldest vines in Folatières and Clavoillons planted in 1952.

For the elevage of the wines the use of new oak is restrained with the village Puligny seeing only 15 % new oak and the 1er Crus just 25 %. Recent years have seen a move towards 350 litre barrels for ageing to have less oak influence. There are no Grand Cru vineyards among Jean-Louis’ holdings, however his 1er Crus are located very close to some of the best vineyards in the heart of Puligny.

Terroir speaks clearly at this estate with the wines essentially being made in similar fashion allowing the differences in soil and exposure to speak in each wine. Jean-Louis’ wines are effortless and unforced showing fine fruit purity and crystal clear terroir definition for each 1er Cru.

Now with Paul working full time at the estate, the extra pair of hands in the vineyard and the cellar shows in even greater precision and clarity with each wine. These are wines of classic style that age and develop gracefully. Quantities are always very limited and these wines sell out very quickly on arrival.