2023 Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot

The 2023 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot (Domaine Louis Jadot) includes the domaine's holdings in the Abbaye. Offering up aromas of pear, pastry cream and hazelnuts, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and suave, with a glossy core of fruit girdled by lively acids. Winemaker Frédéric Barnier and his team have once again delivered a strong portfolio chez Jadot. Barnier stressed the importance of sorting and of vigilance during élevage, in particular where acid rot made an appearance, and he didn't hesitate to perform a saignée for cuvées where yields where high. As I've written before, in the cellar, foudres and 500-liter barrels now complement classic 228-liter pièces, a further evolution adapting to warmer, riper vintages. What's more, barrels are now used four rather than three times, meaning the percentage of new oak overall has fallen. A cold room also helps chill down any fruit that's too warm when it enters the winery, something especially important during the warm 2023 harvest. This vintage also marks the third vintage of organic conversion for the Domaine Louis Jadot and the Domaine Gagey.

Deep soils with marl and clay. Fermented in barrel, of which one-third new. 15 months on lees. Cask sample. Smells richer than the Chenevottes, more oatmeal and creamy lees plus some suggestion of oak spice. Firm, chewy, with more depth than many of the whites in this vintage. Both rounded and crisp. Masses of tension balanced by the creamy lees roundness. (JH)