2012 Puligny Montrachet Les Referts

The 2012 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Referts comes from 38-year-old vines. It has an expressive bouquet with lifted orange blossom and mint aromas emerging from the glass. The palate has more depth and complexity than the Les Champs Gain with white peach and mango notes. It musters more conviction toward the finish, demonstrating satisfying length and tension. Very fine. Straight after visiting his brother Jacques, I crossed the road to visit Domaine Francois Carillon. Francois began working with his father Louis at the domaine in 1988. While Jacques only sources fruit from his own vines, Francois’s modus operandi is slightly different since, as well as his own share of inherited vines, he vinifies fruit from contracted growers. He adopts a prudent approach to oak, adamantly stating that he never uses more than 25% and he did not purchase any new wood in 2012. His was a decent set of 2012s, although in this vintage they did not quite achieve the rarefied heights of his brother’s portfolio that generally demonstrated more precision and mineralite. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham and through Corney & Barrow (UK)