2020 Puligny-Montrachet, Clos de la Mouchère, 1er Cru, Domaine Henri Boillot, Burgundy
Critics reviews
Clear pale lemon. This has a very high-class nose, just a fraction of barrel toast, and is very complex; the fruit is notably fresh. What an intensity, lots of fresh plum and good oak helping to whiten the finish. Tension throughout, picked at the right time. The four plots, vinified apart and now assembled, make a very complete wine.
Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (October 2021)
This is perhaps the most floral-suffused nose in the range with its aromas of essence of pear and plenitude of spice and citrus elements.
Once again, the mid-palate mouthfeel of the medium-bodied flavours is absolutely gorgeous, which contrasts noticeably with the cuts-like-a-knife finish that remains ultra-refined, balanced and persistent.
This is most impressive, particularly for the remarkably fine volume and power that is delivered with grace and class.
Drink from 2030 onward
Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (June 2022)
The primacy of the citrus and green apple fruit is dramatic, but there is depth and nuance here as well, not to mention fresh acidity and enough extract to make the finish linger enticingly on the palate.
Boillot’s Clos de la Mouchère is a monopole of nearly 4ha in the lieu-dit Les Perrières. The vines are more than 80 years of age, and each section is vinified and matured separately in cask (70% new).
This wine has surprising volume, concentration and length – assuredly close to grand cru in quality.
Drink 2025 - 2040
Charles Curtis MW, Decanter.com (November 2021)
About this WINE
Henri Boillot
Henri Boillot has in a very short space of time build an extraordinary reputation for the sheer quality of his Burgundy wines. To call the the Henri Boillot label a mini-negoce does the wines a great disservice as, although Henri does not own the vineyards from which the grapes are sourced, he farms them as meticulously as if they were is own.
They are only ‘mini’ perhaps in the tiny levels of wine produced from each appellation. The meticulous and elegant Henri Boillot also owns and manages the Domaine founded by his grandfather. The sheer quality of these wines, including the impressive and exclusive Les Mouchères monopole, is testimony to the assiduous work he has done in both the vineyards and cellar.
Herni's wines inlcude several Premier Crus from Meursault (Les Poruzots, Les Charmes, Les Genevrières, Les Perrières), Puligny Montrachet (les Folatières, les Perrières, les Pucelles, les Mouchères), Chassagne-Montrachet (Chevenottes, Embrazees), Volnay and Savigny-les-Beaune.
Puligny-Montrachet
Puligny was one of two villages (along with Chassagne) which gained permission in 1879 to hyphenate the name of its most famous vineyard, Montrachet, to its own.
The reputation of Puligny-Montrachet is based around its four Grands Crus. Montrachet labels often boast a noble, triumphant 'Le' in front of its name, lest you dare confuse it with any lesser wine. It has much to be proud of, with many considering Montrachet to be the greatest white wine in the world. At its best it has an intensity, complexity and elegance that make you wonder how such a wine could be made from mere grapes.
The luxurious and explosive Chevalier-Montrachet is not quite as deep, although it is probably the next best. Only marginally less impressive, and rather more consistent than Montrachet is the richly textured Bâtard-Montrachet (also shared with Chassagne). Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is equally good, with the focus on honeyed finesse and exquisite balance rather than richness.
These legendary wines are supported by a host of fabulous Premier Cru vineyards capable of reaching Grand Cru quality. Brimming with flavour and intensity, Le Cailleret and Les Pucelles (which both lie across the road from Le Montrachet) are prime candidates, along with Les Demoiselles, Les Combettes and Folatières.
Sandwiched between the larger Chassagne and Meursault, Puligny produces wines that are more striking than any in the Côte d’Or, portraying a floral elegance alongside a stylish, steely concentration. They are very different to Meursault: more refined and delicate, and less rich.
Village level Puligny-Montrachet from top growers can be very good indeed, but is all too often unexciting and disappointing. Grands Crus normally need at least eight years before they can be broached, and last for 20 or more. Premiers Crus should generally be enjoyed between five and 15 years of age; village wines from three to 10 years.
In theory, you can find red Puligny-Montrachet, but it scarcely exists anymore, and is rarely worth the price tag.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Clear pale lemon. This has a very high-class nose, just a fraction of barrel toast, and is very complex; the fruit is notably fresh. What an intensity, lots of fresh plum and good oak helping to whiten the finish. Tension throughout, picked at the right time. The four plots, vinified apart and now assembled, make a very complete wine.
Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (October 2021)
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