Chassagne-Montrachet, La Romanée, 1er Cru, 2020
Very much apart from the other wines, this has a depth, fullness and texture above and beyond most mortal Chassagnes. There are golden fruits, blossom and acacia honey characteristics covering a tight kernel of energy in the mid palate. There are several hidden layers to this that, given plenty of time in the glass, start to reveal themselves. This would look perfectly at home in a blind line up of Grands Crus. Immense. The Domaine’s oldest vines lie in this vineyard, between 50 and 100 years old, on stony soils with a little more clay content than the Grande Montagne, Grandes Ruchottes and Caillerets. Thierry's parcel is situated at the very top of the vineyard where the soils are at their stoniest.
critic reviews
The 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanée 1er Cru has a touch more volatility than its peers, though it remains well-defined, with orange rind and subtle spicy notes that are accentuated by time in the glass. The palate has a sour lemon note on the entry. Perhaps a bit shrill compared to the best wines of the appellation, but there is certainly no shortage of freshness or tension. I would like it to develop more substance and grip on the finish, and if that transpires, it will deserve a higher score. Nonetheless, it is still an impressive Chassagne-Montrachet. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.
Aromas of pear, orange oil, dried white flowers, fresh pastry and bread dough introduce the 2020 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanee, a medium to full-bodied, ample and enveloping wine that's satiny and seamless, with a layered core of fruit girdled by racy acids. Vibrant and precise, it concludes with a long, chalky finish.