2012 Bourgogne Vézelay, L'Elegante, Domaine la Croix Montjoie

Domaine la Croix Montjoie

Domaine La Croix Montjoie was established in 2009, and was named after the crossroads of Vezelay, which lies between Chablis and Beaune.

The estate has ten acres of vineyards overlooking the basilica and the foothills of the Morvan. Chardonnay is grown here, with an ideal location of a south/south-east facing hillside and stony clay and limestone rich soil. The grapes are cultivated to make the most of the naturally occurring seasons, including the harsh winters and cool summer nights.

Pinot Black Irancy is also grown, slightly further north of Vezelay. The vineyards and building management are family run, with the help of close friends, and all are involved in the ongoing development of the business.

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.