Domaine Alain Chavy Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres 2023
Domaine Alain Chavy Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres
Region: Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Vintage: 2023
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Chardonnay
ABV: 12.5%
The wine opens on a ripe citrus fruit and quince paste aromas. The palate shows a creamy texture with an intense mineral backbone which lingers on the long finish.
The 1.40 hectare parcel of Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru 'Les Folatières' belonging to Alain Chavy was planted in 1962, 1988 and 2013. The varying ages of vines lends both freshness and complexity to the final blend. The parcel faces directly east and is located at around 300m above sea level on a 30% gradient slope. This combination of altitude, exposure and the shallow limestone soils produces a richly layered wine with a profound mineral character.
The grapes were gently whole-bunched pressed and transferred into French oak barrels, where they underwent fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Following fermentation, the wine went through malolactic fermentation and was aged in these same barrels, a portion of which were new, for roughly 12 months. The final blend was then assembled before spending roughly 6 months in stainless-steel tanks ahead of bottling.
An established name in Puligny-Montrachet, the Chavy family have produced wine here since the 1970s. Alain created his domaine in 2003, after he and his brother decided to split the family domaine and pursue their own paths. Alain’s ten hectares include parcels of some of the most prestigious 1er Crus, some of which, such as ‘Les Clavoillons’, were planted by the Chavy family in the 1950s. The domaine also possesses the deepest underground cellar in Puligny, at a depth of 5.5 metres. Alain has forged a reputation for crafting Puligny-Montrachet which captures the balance of salinity, power and elegance particular to this village.