2022 Joseph Drouhin Puligny Montrachet Folatieres 1er Cru, Burgundy

Maison Joseph Drouhin has been one of Burgundy's great family houses since 1880, renowned for wines that favour elegance, purity and precise expression of terroir. In Puligny-Montrachet, few vineyards are more admired than Les Folatières. Sitting high on the Premier Cru slope above the village, its limestone-rich soils produce some of Puligny's most perfumed, finely etched and age-worthy white wines.

The outstanding 2022 vintage brought beautifully ripe fruit to the Côte de Beaune while retaining the freshness and energy essential to great Puligny. Drouhin's restrained approach allows the character of Les Folatières to shine, marrying the generosity of the vintage with chalky minerality, tension and the graceful texture that distinguishes this celebrated Premier Cru.

Brilliant pale gold in colour, the bouquet unfolds with Meyer lemon, white peach and ripe pear, joined by acacia blossom, toasted hazelnut and a delicate flinty reduction. With air, hints of citrus oil, wet stone and subtle brioche emerge. The palate is finely sculpted, with concentrated citrus and stone fruit wrapped around vibrant acidity and a precise chalky core. Silky yet energetic, it builds beautifully through the palate before finishing long, saline and wonderfully refined.

Give this one something suitably luxurious: lobster with beurre blanc, seared scallops, turbot, roast chicken with morels or aged Comté. Already compelling with air, its combination of vintage richness and Premier Cru tension should become even more complex with patient cellaring.

Cellaring: Drink now with decanting or cellar to 2040+.