2020 Seleccion de Parcelas Los Primos Chardonnay

If Baettig’s Los Parientes bottling is like a volcanic-Chablis, the Seleccion de Parcelas is much more Côte d’Or in character, while never losing that volcanic salinity. Its richer, riper style has more mid-palate weight than the Parientes tasted alongside. The nose has a hint of smokiness with savoury, fresh leather notes, iced lemon and a hint of fragrant tea. There is a lovely fleshy, fullness to the wine – distinctly less skinny than the Parientes. The wine has a lovely energy, verve and intensity, while remaining fulsome, and retaining a taut nervosity.

The 2020 Los Primos Chardonnay is much more reductive on the nose than the 2019 tasted alongside. The mineral, struck-match reductive tone eases with air followed by lovely honey and delicate white-flower aromas – bringing beautiful lift to the wine. The textural quality is outstanding, and the oak ageing gives the wine a textural layering that is rich, concentrated and juicy. The orchard fruit and pepper spice from high-quality oak are all beautifully integrated. The refreshing saline notes come through on the finish and leave the palate feeling super fresh.