2017 Batard Montrachet
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Tasting notes
The domaine is one of Burgundy's hidden gems as the tiny amounts of wines that are made keep it off the radar of most. Jasper Morris calls it "the absolute crème de la creme... quintessentially representative of Puligny at its best”. According to Robert Parker, Paul Pernot makes “exquisite white wine… However, few people are aware of just how stunning these wines can be". The Bâtard is one of their ultimate expressions and the plot from which it is taken could not be better. It's a rare wine and particularly scarce in this vintage. The wine comes from vines mostly planted in the 1980s, and with Pernot pulling up over a third of his Bâtard vines after the 2016 Vintage for replanting, it means there is significantly less than usual to go around. Soft almost watery straw colour, leads to a deceptively deep, and intense nose – very focused and pure. Concentrated and compact. Real depth evident, complex layers of different but already well-defined aromas – rounded citrus peel, whipped butter, grilled pine nuts, blossom. Some flinty, smoky minerality. Attractive candied feel to the ripe but fresh fruit character, intense, lovely weight on the mid-palate leads to a long, mouth-coating and persistent saline finish. Lots of acidity, which needs time to fully integrate, will permit long development through extended cellaring. This is a serious Batard, should be sensibly left in a cellar for at least 5 years, but will easily grow and evolve for a decade and beyond. Impressive on every level.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Pernot's 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru derives from two parcels, one located on the border of Puligny and Chassagne and another near the Clos Poirier. Offering up notions of ripe peaches, mandarin, honeycomb and a classy framing of new oak, it's full-bodied, rich and layered with a riper, more textural profile than the Bienvenues, though with a touch less elegance and textural integration. Like the Bienvenues, this will be expressive young, though its blockier construction will merit a couple of years in the cellar.
Bright lemon-yellow color. Nose dominated by yellow peach and clove. More intense and filled in today than the Bienvenue but still not an opulent style. In fact, its lively balance of sweetness and acidity buffers its thickness and gives the wine a penetrating quality. Finishes a bit youthfully aggressive but long, without the early floral lift of the Folatières and in need of patience.
(from vines averaging about 30 years of age, planted mostly in 1987 and 1990; Pernot pulled up more than one-third of his Bâtard vines after the 2016 for replanting; both this wine and the Bienvenue began in 50% new oak, with most of the rest of the barrels once used): Bright lemon-yellow color. Nose dominated by yellow peach and clove. More intense and filled in today than the Bienvenue but still not an opulent style. In fact, its lively balance of sweetness and acidity buffers its thickness and gives the wine a penetrating quality. Finishes a bit youthfully aggressive but long, without the early floral lift of the Folatières and in need of patience.
About the producer
Domaine Paul Pernot is synonymous with Puligny-Montrachet. For the last 30 years, the estate – alongside Domaine Leflaive and Domaine de Montille (previously Château de Puligny-Montrachet) – has been one of the largest shareholders in the appellation.