The 2017 Domaine Jacques Carillon Chassagne-Montrachet is a 100% Chardonnay from Chassagne-Montrachet in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, offering the opportunity to explore a village white Burgundy with almost a decade of development. Jacques Carillon descends from a winegrowing family whose history in Puligny-Montrachet stretches back to 1520, and his approach emphasises finesse, balance and vineyard expression. This Chassagne comes from a small 0.27-hectare parcel planted to Chardonnay in 2013, situated on the plain below the Château de Chassagne-Montrachet. Previously planted to red grapes, the parcel provides an interesting contrast to the Puligny vineyards that form the heart of the domaine.
At a tasting in October 2018, Bill Nanson of Burgundy Report described the 2017 as having yellow-fruit aromatics, a broad palate and generous, gradually unfolding flavour, praising the result from such young vines. Jacques Carillon himself characterised 2017 as a good, balanced vintage. The domaine describes its Chassagne style as combining roundness and richness with a mineral finish, with an élevage of one year in barrel, including 15% new oak, followed by six months in stainless steel. Today, a well-stored bottle may show more developed almond, hazelnut, toast and savoury nuances alongside its original yellow-fruit character, although these are expected signs of maturation rather than a recent tasting assessment.
