It has been said that the Grand Cru vineyard of Bâtard Montrachet, located at the base of the Montrachet hill, is so prestigious that it would be unfair to limit it to one village alone. As such, the legendary, 20-hectare climat,famous around the world for its exceptional and exclusively Chardonnay vines, is shared by two adjacent communes in Burgundy’s sub-region of Côte de Beaune, with nearly a third of the vines resting in Chassagne-Montrachet with the remaining in Puligny-Montrachet. Part of Burgundy’s ultra-prestigious Montrachet family of Grand Crus, Bâtard Montrachet also has the benefit of equally impressiveneighbors: Le Criots and Le Montrachet in Chassagne-Montrachet, and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet in Puligny-Montrachet.
Bâtard Montrachet’s unwavering dedication to growing Chardonnay grapes of unrivaled quality has earned it the honor of producing what is considered the best Chardonnay wine in the world. It’s no wonder, as viniculture in the area dates back as far as the Middle Ages thanks to the handiwork, not to mention the foresight, of Cistercian monks from Maizière Abbey. By the 1600s, its reputation truly took hold, and in 1937, its appellation was formally established. Its ideal terroir has an even older pedigree: the region’s deep, rocky foundation can be traced as far back as the Jurassic Age, and is covered by a highly desirable combination of marl, limestone and a perfect amount of clay, with each facilitating a complex yet subtle minerality to the profile of the wines produced. Even better, Bâtard Montrachet’s incline at the foot of the hill positions its vineyards eastward, providing ample sunshine and comfortable warmth to the soil without compromising the area’s mesoclimate. It is this key climate component that maintains the integrity of phenolic ripeness, keeping tannins balanced.
Bourgogne wines generally use only one grape varietal, and Bâtard Montrachet is no exception. For this appellation, Chardonnay is the defining grape, with the minimum grape maturity being 11.5% potential alcohol. Signature wines present a golden color that deepens with age, and offers the palate a pleasant experience of butter, spice, honey, dried fruit and creamy warmth. Structured and harmonious, they are nonetheless highly finessed, and are known for being considerably profound, especially for a white wine.
Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the reference to the “bastard” in Bâtard Montrachet. History claims that the name of this region was derived from the legend of the Seigneur de Puligny: this local lord supposedly divided this land among his children including his eldest son (the Chevalier), his daughters (the pucelles, or maidens), and his illegitimate son, the bâtard. While the term may sound derogatory, the wines from Bâtard Montrachet are nothing short of noble.
