Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge 1er Cru, “Champs-Gains”

Sylvain Morey farms the last existing plot of Pinot Noir in the premier cru Champs-Gains, a tiny 0.16-hectare parcel planted in the early 1950s by his grandfather Albert. To taste his white and red Champs-Gains side-by-side is to experience the mystery of Burgundy with uncanny clarity: both are deeper in register than their villages counterparts, and both display a telltale flint character that shows itself on the nose and continues through the smoke-tinged finish. Vinified with 50% whole clusters and aged 18 months in one-third new oak—both 228-liter and 350-liter barrels—it offers an elegant iteration of this vineyard’s sometimes brooding nature. It is quite dense with chewy fresh cherry fruit, lively acidity, and a firm tannic backbone. 10-20 cases imported.