Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumes 2022: Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard Caroline Lestime: case of six bottles delivered

When it comes to the world’s greatest white wines, the border between Chassagne and Puligny is considered the treasure at the end of the rainbow. Within a few hundred metres lie five wonderful Grands Crus, three of which are in Chassagne. They are led by the luscious Le Montrachet, to which Chassagne gained permission in 1879, along with Puligny, to hyphenate its name.

The famous Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard name is a star of the region. It has been run by Caroline Lestimé, the great Jean-Noël’s daughter, since 1989—and this ‘Les Chaumes’ 2022 is Caroline striking out on her own expression of the great location. Its 12.5 hectares of outstanding vineyards have been certified organic since 2014, and are now run biodynamically. Most of the estate’s vineyards are in the heart of Chassagne, with one vineyard in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, which looks down on St. Aubin and was planted in 2015. The wines are, in the best sense of the phrase, ‘low intervention wines, with each expressing the character of its site.

Though a ‘villages’ wine, the Chassagne Montrachet ‘Les Chaumes’ hails from a vineyard bordering the Premier Cru ‘La Boudriotte’. As a result, it offers an expression that is very much of a ‘superior’ ‘villages’ standard, with Puligny-like acid on the finish that cuts through intense fruit on the palate. The ‘Les Chaumes’ vineyard lies at an altitude of 300 metres above sea level, lending excellent freshness to the wines. Vines are east-facing, Guyot-trained and planted on stony calcareous clay soil. The vines are certified organic and are enriched with biodynamic composts at the end of every winter.

This Les Chaumes is Caroline Lestimé’s making of her own, eponymous ‘negociant’ wines in the Domaine Jean-Noel Gagnard cellars—negociant wines only in the sense that Caroline doesn’t own the vineyards she produces them from. However, she manages them herself and personally makes all the wines, giving them the same stamp of individuality as those of Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard. The three barrels which Caroline made this year equate to just 12 hl/ha.

On tasting, as on location, ‘Les Chaumes’ is very much a ‘superior’ village. It boasts aromas of white flowers, stone fruits and toasted almonds. On the palate, the concentration of flavour gives the wine a rich texture. A Puligny-like acid on the finish cuts through the intense fruit flavours giving the wine a lovely balance, and this 2022 vintage is proving excellent. Always one of the more forward cuvées, it has a delicious bite of citrus. Altogether delicious. Drink 2025-2035.

Case of six bottles delivered. RRP £480. CCUK £439 including UK mainland delivery.

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