2011 + 2013 Pierre Matrot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Chalumeaux” // Pack of 2

2011 Pierre Matrot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Chalumeaux” 94 Points

Stylistically, Puligny-Montrachet and its Premier Cru vineyards sit at the other end of the spectrum from Meursault. Linear, crisp, mineral-hewn and subtle, Matrot’s Puligny “Les Chalumeaux” offers a beautiful and restrained counterpoint to the domaine’s creamy/buttery Meursault. The Matrot family planted their section in the 1er Cru vineyard of Les Chalumeaux thirty years ago, which places their vines just now at the peak of their maturity. To highlight the appellation’s classic restraint and acidity, the wine is fermented with native yeasts and in neutral barrels before resting on its lees for 11 months. This last step adds weight and a delicate hint of lushness to this otherwise wiry, lively, tightly-coiled Premier Cru. The Wine Enthusiast rates the 2011 vintage 94 points for white wines produced in the Côte de Beaune, and while many 2011s are in their prime today, Matrot’s exhilarating Puligny “Les Chalumeaux” has its best years well ahead of it.

2013 Pierre Matrot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Chalumeaux” 91 Points

The marriage of Joseph Matrot and Marguerite Amoignon in 1914 proved fortuitous for two reasons: 1) Their coupling brought together the vineyard holdings of two established Burgundian clans, including old vines planted in “Les Chalumeaux,” one of Puligny’s greatest Premier Crus. And 2) Their union also allowed for the birth of son Pierre, who would one day become one of Beaune’s top winemakers.

The domaine farms their “Les Chalumeaux” vines organically and takes a natural, laissez-faire approach in the cellar as well—using indigenous yeast for fermentation and neutral oak for maturation. Matrot’s 2013 “Les Chalumeaux” is penetrating and racy with plenty of Puligny’s characteristic minerals and chalk. Puligny-Montrachets from this low-yielding vintage display the appellation’s finely delineated character and minerality. “The best wines show brisk, intense elements of citrus and orchard fruits, white pepper and tactile saline minerality. They convey their terroir clearly and will please fans of classic white Burgundies,” writes Vinous. And this particular 1er Cru Puligny-Montrachet stays absolutely true to its intense and classic vintage.