2018 Bienvenues Batard Montrachet

Last summer I visited Puligny-Montrachet and was lucky enough to taste through the newly bottled 2018s at Domaine Paul Pernot. Paul is one of the most important growers in Puligny-Montrachet, with plots across many famed Premier and Grand Cru sites. A favourite of mine from the tasting – held by his granddaughter Alvina, now making wines under her own label – was his Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, a stunningly rich and elegant expression from this excellent vintage. Almost a year on, it of course remains extremely young, but nonetheless it is a privilege to see how this Grand Cru is progressing. The 2018 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet by Paul Pernot immediately grabs your attention. Brioche, vanilla, hints of spice and orange blossom leap from the glass. This is a wine that elicits a smile! Moreish, savoury and oh so elegant, there’s a tautness and texture here that impresses me so much. Pernot’s traditional style lends itself wonderfully to a warm vintage like 2018. It’s powerful, concentrated and unctuous, whilst retaining all the freshness and elegance that you want from a young, vibrant Chardonnay. As one of the greatest vineyards in the world, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet has a lot to live up to. Pernot’s 2018 does so, with ease. This will age beautifully over the coming years. As I mentioned above, Paul’s granddaughter, Alvina, has now set up her own négociant business in Puligny. In 2018 she made her first Domaine wine – the Puligny-Montrachet La Rue Aux Vaches, a tiny strip of land just below Les Pucelles. Bottled in just 150 magnums, it’s a wonderful debut. Fresh, mineral and elegant, it is textbook Puligny. Steely, with a backbone of limestone and bristling acidity, it’s a shame there’s so little of it! Worth keeping an eye out for her wines.