2023 Montrachet Grand Cru

Those familiar with arguably the most dynamic Côte de Beaune appellation will be aware of the recent uptick in consistency and quality at Fontaine-Gagnard. In previous years, winemaker Céline Fontaine mentioned that she is hoping to extend the duration of barrel maturation that has been limited by space. This is now beginning to happen with several of their top cuvées enjoying an 18-month élevage instead of 12: 12 months in barrel plus another six in vat, often referred to as the “Roulot Method.”

“January and February were dry, March wet and April cold but with no frost,” she explains as I enjoy another new investment—a table for scribes to rest our weary laptops on. “There was some mildew pressure in the early season but it became dry from mid-May with a lot of wind. Flowering started on May 30 and it was great. From June, we had high oidium pressure, so we used more sulphur compared to previous years, which is why there is more reduction. There was hail in Volnay and some Bourgogne Blanc on July 15 but we did not lose a lot, and we had a large crop anyway. But it did damage some berries and risked rot, so this fruit needed to be sorted. We had a very warm summer with sporadic, regular rainfall so there was no stress like in 2022. There was sufficient water in the soil. But because of the quantity of fruit, I felt apprehensive about obtaining concentration.”

“We started picking on September 1 until September 5 for the whites and finished two days later for the reds. It was very hot, especially in the afternoons. We told pickers, if you want to stay, please do, because we wanted to pick quickly. We harvested everything in eight days. It was a generous year. It is rare when Nature gives so much fruit. I don’t necessarily agree that the best vintages come from smaller yields, even if the 2022 might taste better than 2023 in 20 years’ time. We kept a lot of lees as the quality was very good. The 2023 is the first time that I feel at ease doing a bit more reduction on the wines, but I don’t want it to obscure the terroir. In 2024, we kept fewer of the lees – every vintage is different. The malos were a bit later with many starting not until March, though the reds were quite early, mostly finished in February to April. I think the quality of the Chassagne Rouge was better than in Volnay in 2023.”

Readers will note the reappearance of the Pommard Rugiens after the vines were replanted in 2017. Some you gain, but some you lose. Their Chassagne La Romanée was pulled out in 2023 and is currently ‘off the pitch.’ There may also be another new addition since a small batch of Rosé was made from the saignée done on the Bourgogne Rouge and Chassagne Village Rouge.