2023 Bachelet-Monnot Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts, Burgundy

Mid lemon yellow. A little more oak on the nose though the power of the fruit boosts through. This is really complex on the palate – firstly an immense volume of ripe fruit, with a touch of bacon fat, then a little lemon wash. Lots of protein in the wines this year, I am told. Impressive length. Drink from 2027-2035.

93-96 points Jasper Morris MW Insideburgundy.com

Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Referts from Burgundy is a wine of exceptional poise, intensity and mineral beauty, showcasing the domaine’s hallmark precision and the elegance of one of Puligny’s most celebrated vineyards. Brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet have quickly become two of Burgundy’s most admired vignerons, their wines known for combining purity of fruit with depth and fine-grained texture. Les Referts, lying just below Meursault Charmes on the border between Puligny and Meursault, is a Premier Cru of real pedigree, producing wines that sit at the perfect intersection of Puligny’s tension and Meursault’s generosity.

The vines grow in shallow limestone and clay soils that yield grapes of natural concentration and vibrant acidity. The fruit is hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, with fermentation carried out by native yeasts in French oak barrels, around one quarter new. The wine is aged on fine lees for about a year with minimal stirring, before bottling without fining or filtration. This gentle approach enhances the vineyard’s mineral clarity and length, ensuring a Chardonnay of refinement and longevity.

In the glass it shines pale gold with green reflections. The nose opens with notes of white peach, citrus, hazelnut and crushed stone, evolving into hints of lemon curd, honeysuckle and flint. The palate is layered and powerful yet precise, combining ripe orchard fruit and fine oak spice with crystalline acidity and a chalky mineral backbone. The finish is long, savoury and endlessly elegant — a classic Puligny with energy, depth and purity.

This wine pairs beautifully with lobster, scallops, roast chicken, or creamy risotto with truffle. It also complements fine cheeses such as Comté or aged Gruyère. Best enjoyed from five to fifteen years after vintage, it will develop rich, nutty and honeyed complexity with time in bottle.