Jean-Louis Chavy Puligny-Montrachet 2022

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

From ten small parcels of 20-60 year old vines. Les Tremblot, ("more Puligny in character, as the soil is argileous," says Jean-Louis); Les Meix, Les Levrons (more rounded wine for there are more stones and gravel here and it is not so heavy), Corvée des Vignes and Les Reuchaux. These small vineyard holdings are all just below the premier cru’s close to the village and cover the diversity of Puligny from north to south. Just 20% new oak for this wine which always shows excellent balance and drinking pleasure from an early age.

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.