Winemaker Notes
Pillot has a friend in the appellation of Montagny in the Côte Chalonnaise with some old vineyard holdings, the fruit of which he is happy to sell to Jean-Marc each year to help him round out his lineup with some accessibly priced wines of a different character. Les Bassets is a “split” vineyard, part of which is villages-classified and part of which is premier cru, and this parcel is just on the villages side. Vinified and aged entirely in stainless steel, this wine displays the racy acidity and chalky, almost Chablis-like character of Montagny at is best, but with a satisfying mid-palate richness.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
One of the top appellations for white Burgundy from the Cote Chalonnaise, Montagny is comprised of large number of Premiers Crus vineyards. Its wines (made of Chardonnay) tend to have a finesse and body not found elsewhere in the Cote Chalonnaise.