2022 Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, Chassagne-Montrachet "Les Chaumes"

Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard has been helmed by Caroline Lestimé, Jean-Noël's daughter, since 1989, and the estate's 12.5 hectares have been certified organic since 2014, with biodynamic principles guiding the vineyard work as well. Though technically a village-level wine, Les Chaumes borders the prime Premier Cru vineyard La Boudriotte, giving it a quality expression well above standard village Chassagne, with a Puligny-like acidity on the finish that cuts through the wine's concentrated fruit. The Les Chaumes vineyard sits at roughly 300 metres above sea level, east-facing and Guyot-trained on stony, calcareous clay soil, lending the wine notable freshness, while vines here average around 50 years old, grown on a gentle, southeast-facing slope over shallow clay soil. In the cellar, Gagnard uses whole-bunch pressing, fermenting in oak (with a maximum of 30% new barrels and a light toast), before aging the wine for about 18 months in barrel prior to bottling. This gentle, low-intervention approach gives the wine real purity of fruit expression, and the wines tend to reward extended bottle aging as they open up over time. On the nose, the 2022 shows ripe citrus, especially candied lemon and orange peel, alongside white orchard fruit like pear and white peach, layered with subtle toasted oak, brioche, and a light floral lift. The palate carries that citrus and orchard fruit through with real energy, framed by a saline, chalky minerality that gives the wine lift and drive. Texturally it's medium-bodied with a caressing, almost creamy mouthfeel from the lees aging, balanced by bright acidity that keeps things taut rather than heavy. The finish is long and mineral-driven, with citrus pith and a faint hazelnut note lingering, open and generous now but built to develop further with time in bottle