In the pantheon of Burgundy’s great whites, the Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits 2023 from Domaine Louis Latour asserts itself as a cuvée of character, carved by the terroir’s rigour and the winemaker’s precise touch. Here, Chardonnay speaks the Puligny language, between mineral lace and succulent flesh. From a Premier Cru site famed for its straightness and verticality, this 2023 combines brightness, depth and texture. Traditional fermentation in French oak barrels, followed by a full malolactic fermentation, shapes a nuanced material, supported by 8 to 10 months of ageing with 50% in new barrels, moderately toasted. Vines averaging 35 years draw from clay-limestone subsoils that give a salivating energy that lengthens the finish. On the nose, notes of brioche and vanilla lead the way, echoing an ample, caressing palate marked by almond and acacia honey. The finish, upright and crystalline, signs a wine both luminous and deeply rooted. Praised by international critics, this vintage seduces epicureans seeking a great table white, able to accompany haute cuisine as well as develop in cellar over 5 to 7 years.

Assemblage et vinification

Monovarietal expression of a high-precision Chardonnay, this cuvée is vinified according to the Louis Latour house tradition. Fermentation takes place in carefully selected French oak barrels, with a full malolactic fermentation that softens acidity and brings creaminess without weighing down the structure. The 8 to 10 months ageing, including 50% in new barrels with moderate toasting, provides pastry-like nuances and a subtly wooded structure, always keeping the fruit centre-stage. The vines of around 35 years rooted in clay-limestone soils add tension and aromatic purity, while manual harvesting preserves the integrity of the berries. The resulting style is that of a complete white wine, harmonising breadth and freshness, fine oak and chiselled minerality.

Notes de dégustation

• Appearance : Bright pale yellow with straw highlights, clear and sparkling, indicating balanced concentration and lively freshness.
• Nose : Delicate bouquet of brioche and vanilla, underlined by a floral hint and accents of fresh hazelnut. With aeration, pastry finesse and chalky tension emerge.
• Palate : Broad, satin-smooth attack, savoury mid-palate of acacia honey and almond, driven by juicy acidity. The mineral finish, long and precise, stretches the tasting in a saline uplift.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve between 10 and 12°C in a tulip glass to favour the development of the bouquet and the perception of texture. Open the bottle about twenty minutes before serving, or decant briefly if you wish to soften the oak expression in its youth. The wine shows very good poise today, while offering a cellaring potential of 5 to 7 years, during which the pastry-like elements will gain complexity and the minerality will refine. Store in a cool cellar, away from light and vibrations, bottles laid on their side to preserve the cork integrity.

Food pairings

• Aperitifs : gougères, delicate fish rillettes, parmesan and herb tartlets.
• Starters : scallop carpaccio, simply prepared brown crab, white asparagus with mousseline sauce.
• Main courses : roasted lobster or langoustine, sole meunière, free-range poultry in a light morel cream.
• Cheeses : aged Comté, Beaufort, mild firm-textured goat tomme.
• Desserts : thin pear and almond tart, light citrus sabayon, lightly sweetened vanilla shortbread.

Occasions

The Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits 2023 is the preferred companion:

• For a gastronomic dinner where service and culinary precision meet the elegance of Burgundian Chardonnay.
• At a vertical tasting among enthusiasts, to measure the site’s expression over time.
• As an exceptional gift for a connoisseur sensitive to fine balance, combining mineral relief and caressing texture.

Caractéristiques

• Name : Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits 2023, Domaine Louis Latour
• Appellation : Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru AOC
• Climate : Sous le Puits
• Type : Dry white wine
• Vintage : 2023
• Grape : Chardonnay 100%
• Vinification : traditional barrel fermentation, full malolactic fermentation
• Aging : 8 to 10 months in French oak barrels, 50% new, medium toast
• Cellaring : 5 to 7 years
• Serving temperature : 10 to 12°C