Bâtard-Montrachet

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The vineyard lies within the rectilinear, tectonically formed relief of the Côte de Beaune, oriented in a general north-east/south-west direction.
• The plots are situated on the lower part of the east/south-east-facing slope, at an altitude of approximately 250 metres, consistent with the 240 to 250 metres noted elsewhere.
• The bedrock is composed mainly of thinly bedded limestones of the Middle Jurassic (Callovian), overlain by an irregular accumulation of clayey colluvium relatively poor in limestone pebbles.
• Murgers — stone-clearance piles scattered at intervals across the plots — attest to the shallow depth of the clay layer covering the limestone bedrock.
• The cool oceanic climate produces a moderate and regular rainfall of approximately 750 millimetres per year and a mean annual temperature of 10.5°C, with no pronounced summer drought.

• A 1921 ruling established the hierarchy of wines from Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, reserving the name Montrachet for the lieu-dit and authorising the designation Bâtard-Montrachet for wines produced from Bâtard.
• In 1878, the communes of Puligny and Chassagne added the name of their most prestigious cru to their own, becoming Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet.
• The appellation d'origine contrôlée was recognised in 1937, but its delimited plot area did not come into effect until 1939, bringing together three lieux-dits spread across the two communes.
• In 2008 the vineyard covered approximately 11 hectares, with an average annual production of 475 hectolitres.

• The wines display a beautiful golden-yellow colour, combining finesse and roundness in perfect balance, with rich and complex aromas very often recalling hazelnut and honey.
• These wines have a particularly long aromatic finish and are distinguished by a notable ageing potential, evolving favourably over many years.

• The thinly bedded limestone bedrock ensures effective drainage, while the clay soils contribute to the roundness of the wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 30 novembre 2011, JORF 3 décembre 2011
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — BIVB