Wine Advisor
Etienne Sauzet, Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2019
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2019 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru opens in the glass with scents of pear, honeycomb, toasted nuts, orange oil and white flowers, framed by a light touch of reduction. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's rich and muscular, with a broad-shouldered, powerful profile, lively acids and a bright, mineral finish. This is a dramatic Bienvenues in the making from Sauzet.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2019 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru comes from a single parcel towards the Pucelles side, just 8 rows of vines to be exact, equivalent to two and a half barrels. The vines were planted in 1936, the oldest of the domaine and matured in no new oak. The bouquet is slightly reduced but that works in its favour as the terroir still comes through: crushed rock, fleeting glimpses of yellow plum and orange rind. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh, quite vibrant towards the finish that shows possibly more concentration than the Chevalier-Montrachet. I can understand why this is Riffaut’s pick of his 2019s.
About the Producer
Etienne Sauzet is an estate based in Puligny-Montrachet, making some of the most sought-after Chardonnay wines in Burgundy. Sauzet's wines are prized for their elegance at village level and for their extra weight and concentration at Premier and Grand Cru level. The portfolio includes leading examples of Chevalier-Montrachet, Le Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Champs Gain. The domaine is made up of 15 hectares (37 ac) of estate vineyards split between the communes of Puligny-Montrachet, Cormot-le-Grand and Chassagne-Montrachet with small amounts of fruit externally sourced. The grapes are fermented in oak and aged in barrel for around a year – premier crus see up to 33-percent new oak, while grand crus get 40-percent. After barrel aging, the wines are racked into tanks for another six months on lees. Etienne Sauzet was established at the forefront of Puligny-Montrachet production by Etienne Sauzet himself (1903-1975). His 12 hectare (30 ac) estate was taken over by his son-in-law Gérard Boudot, although in 1991 Boudot's cousin Jean-Marc Boillot took out his share of vineyards, requiring Boudot and his family to make additional acquisitions to bring the property back to its current size.
