2022 Armand Heitz Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge, Burgundy

The Armand Heitz Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge is a refined and powerful expression of Pinot Noir from one of Chassagne’s most historic premier cru vineyards. While Chassagne-Montrachet is best known for its whites, Morgeot has long been recognised as a source of structured, age-worthy reds, and Armand Heitz is one of the producers leading a revival of these wines. Since taking over his family’s domaine in 2012, Heitz has farmed organically and biodynamically, focusing on low yields and careful cellar work to craft wines that express purity, energy and terroir.

The Morgeot climat sits on clay-limestone soils with a higher proportion of clay than many neighbouring sites, lending depth, darker fruit characters and firmer tannins to the Pinot Noir. Vines here benefit from excellent sun exposure, producing grapes of full ripeness balanced by freshness. In the cellar, Heitz ferments with native yeasts, uses a proportion of whole bunches to add spice and lift, and matures the wine in French oak barrels with a restrained use of new oak.

In the glass, the wine is deep garnet. Aromas unfold with black cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry interwoven with rose petals, forest floor, spice and a touch of smoky mineral. The palate is medium to full-bodied, combining ripe red and black fruits with savoury, earthy undertones. Fine-grained tannins and lively acidity provide structure, while a mineral backbone carries the wine through to a long, elegant finish.

Food pairings highlight its depth and savoury complexity: duck breast with cherries, venison with juniper, roast pork with sage, or vegetarian dishes like mushroom ragù, beetroot tart or truffle pasta. With its structure and concentration, the wine will cellar gracefully for 10 to 15 years, evolving with earthy, gamey and truffled nuances.