2002 Chassagne Montrachet Champs Gains
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Tasting notes
Diffuse yellow fruits, smoke, flowers, honey and an herbal note on the nose. Fat, fleshy and sweet but could use more shape and personality. Finishes a bit alcoholic and sour, without enough balancing material. But riper and more substantial than the regular village offering.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Pierre Rovani
More reviews and scores
The almond paste aromas of the 2002 Chassagne-Montrachet Champs-Gain lead to a well-balanced, medium-bodied personality. Soft yet tangy and pleasing, it coats the palate with candied citrus fruits as well as minerals. It should be consumed over the next 5-6 years. Michel Niellon began harvesting on the 21st of September. “It’s the first Saturday after the ban de vendange. That’s when I always harvest.” His natural potential alcohols ranged from 12.5 to 12.8%, and he describes 2002 as a year with “loads of flesh, a year to drink young or age six to eight years.” On this latest point, Niellon stressed that he enjoys his wines when they are young. “I like them on the fruit. Others can drink them however they want, but I drink wine to drink fruit. In fact,” he went on, “even though everybody loves the 1996s, I don’t like them. I like supple wines.” Niellon, like Alsace’s Olivier Humbrecht, believes that all whites should be decanted, something that readers should try at home. Personally, I have found that this is the way to go, as it allows the wines to blossom. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 572-7725
About the producer
From the heart of Chassagne-Montrachet, Domaine Michel Niellon embodies generations of craftsmanship and Burgundian finesse, producing elegant, terroir-driven wines from just 8 hectares.