Etienne Sauzet

Etienne Sauzet’s son-in-law, Gérard Boudot, makes the wine at this benchmark Burgundian Domaine and has been more recently assisted by talented winemaker Benoit Riffault, Gerard's son-in-law. A tasting with Gérard and Benoit is not just enjoyable but highly educational – each session is a virtual masterclass in terroir. Indeed, their knowledge of Puligny’s different vineyards is second to none. They resist the temptation to interfere with the wines too much after fermentation, and employs on average 30% new oak every year. The Grand Crus are, of course, impressive; even right down to Villages and Bourgogne level the wines display the finesse and grace of truly great Puligny.

**2017 Vintage **

Sauzet picked early (on the 28th August,) winemaker Benoit Riffault explaining “health-wise there was no problem with the grapes but potential alcohol increased quickly so we wanted to pick early to maintain balance. There is a lot of dry extract in these, they are textured. For me the vintage is a blend of 2009, 2010, 2014 for, respectively, its yellow fruit, density and freshness. Intense and very concentrated wines that each display their own distinct terroir characteristics as usual with perhaps an extra padding and gloss to previous vintages.

**2018 Vintage **

“Un bon classique” is how winemaker Benoit Riffault summarises 2018 adding he finds them “elegant and balanced.” Classic might seem a strange term to be attached to a sunny warm vintage but taste the wines and he is spot on. Benoit feels the wines are not like other early or warm vintages, for although the acids technically weren’t that high the profile of the fruit is fresh and clear with no shortage of minerality, too. The 2018's have more body and less steel than 2014 or 2017, for example, but they are no slouches either. Natural alcohol degrees were between 12.8 to 13.2 and the fruit profiles are on the citrus, white and yellow fruit side of the spectrum rather than anything too honeyed or exotic. This, Benoit feels, was thanks to a surprisingly good crop that counteracted the hot summer. Surprising because there weren't any more bunches than usual, but the grapes yielded a lot more juice than expected. What is particularly pleasing to see in this range is how the vintage has not suffocated the characteristics of each wine or vineyard. Folatières, Perrières and Chevalier are as mineral and focused as ever, Champs Canet and Combettes are typically plumptious, while Truffière has retained its beauty and elegance. An impressive line-up, the wines have body and verve, sitting comfortably just on the riper side of 2017.

2019 Vintage

A vintage Benoit Riffault terms “exceptional”, citing the wines’ “density and consistency with no heaviness. They have a saline power that comes from high levels of dry extract.” We can’t argue, for there were some utterly ravishing wines in the Sauzet line-up this year, continuing their rich vein of form. Yields were small thanks to a combination of bad flowering and grapes that had thick skins and little juice. Picking began on 9th September. As ever the picking date was key. The right moment being “when I like the taste of the grapes and when the berries detach easily from the stalks” Benoit was keen to point out. In terms of winemaking, Benoit decided to keep as much of the lees as possible this year, to keep the wines as fresh as possible. Otherwise very little has changed here. Élevage continues to include little new oak, ranging from 10–15% for the Bourgogne and Villages, rising to a maximum of 35% for the Grands Crus. A wonderful set of wines that includes some of the greatest whites of the vintage. They absolutely prove that you can pick ripe and still have freshness.

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    country:
    France
    region:
    Burgundy
    Grape Variety