2014 Domaine
d’Eugénie Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 29, 2019&nbsp; 

This week’s Cellar
Favorite is a young white Burgundy from Domaine d’Eugénie. I suspect that many wine
lovers are unaware of the domaine’s white cuvées, which come from holdings
acquired by François Pinault from Château de Puligny-Montrachet around
2012/2013. These include parcels in Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet
Les Perclos, Meursault Les Perrières and Bâtard-Montrachet, plus a postage-stamp-sized
dozen rows in Montrachet, adjacent to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti on the
Chassagne side, that produces no more than around half a barrel per year. I
believe it is reserved for Monsieur Pinault’s personal use, so you’ll have to
ask him for a bottle next time you pop round for supper. The other whites are
rarely seen, though they do seem to “dribble out” among merchants, but those
that I have tasted at the domaine have been impressive.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1556549090163-engenie+batard+bottle.jpg"> 

Two bottles appeared in
Hong Kong in November 2018, preceding a La Mission Haut-Brion dinner, and so for
the first time I was able to taste the whites in bottle. The 2014
Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is crystal-clear in color. It has a gorgeous
dried honey, praline and orange blossom bouquet and develops a flint-like
quality with time. The palate is very well balanced, offering effortless poise
and a gras-like finish reminiscent of
a Corton-Charlemagne. This is a vibrant, vivid Bâtard-Montrachet that will
drink well for 15 to 20 years and ranks among the finest I have tasted. 95/Drink: 2019-2040. The 2014 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Perclos has
a nose of honeysuckle, lychee and pear notes, attractive even if shown its
place by the Bâtard-Montrachet poured alongside. The palate is well balanced
with a rounded, slightly waxy-textured opening offset by a fine bead of acidity
and discreet tropical notes toward the open-knit finish. Fine. Enjoy over the
next decade. 90/Drink: 2019-2028.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1556549034244-eugenie+chassagne+perclos.jpg">

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