2011 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Gain 1er Cru

Brothers Francois and Jacques Carillon divided the family's estate just two years ago. Although the domaines have been separated for just two vintages, Francois Carillon's wines tend to be richer and slightly riper than his brothers' wines. The harvest started on September 5. Like many of his colleagues, Carillon worked the lees a bit more to give the wines a little more body. The 2011s spent 12 months in oak followed by six months in steel, and were bottled starting in January for the Bourgogne and village level wines, while the 1er Crus were bottled in April. As for the wines, they are mostly round, supple and very pretty. Francois Carillon fans can look forward to several new cuvees in 2013, including a Chassagne Chenevottes as well as a villages-level bottling, assuming the weather cooperates.

As of the 2010 vintage, the Carillon estate has officially been divided into Domaine Francois Carillon and Domaine Jacques Carillon, the two sons of Louis Carillon.Francois, whose cellars are around the corner from his brother's, now works seven hectares of vines.He doesn't crush his fruit because he "doesn't want to introduce bitterness or herbaceous notes," and he brings about three or four liters of lees into the barrels "to provide the shoulders, the structure of the wines."He is a great fan of barrels made by Stephane Chassin, although he uses relatively little new oak (e.g., barely 12% for the his village Puligny, of which he made 70 barrels in 2011).Heavy rain on August 26 resulted in some dilution in 2011, noted Carillon, although potential alcohol levels were in the very healthy 12.5% to 13.2% range."The bad July and August weather cost the wines some fruit and personality," he told me.Carillon was still stirring the lees a bit at the end of May, "but not systemically."