Les Referts

The glory of this wine lies in the mouth-filling palate. It displays a wonderful mix of white fruits with excellent minerals running through. Fruit, flesh and structure are all in balance. The nose will take a little longer, though already some attractive floral notes can be teased out.

Jean-Philippe is serene in the knowledge of the quality of his 2014 vintage. The grapes were entirely healthy, there were no problems in vinification, the maturation process is happening as it should and the wines are set to give a great deal of pleasure all round. There is less reduction than last year, so they will be accessible reasonably early, while still having good keeping potential.

The 2009 Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts brings together all of the elements of the house style. It shows marvelous harmony, deftly balancing the ripeness of the year with structure and persistence. Layers of radiant fruit flow through gracefully to the finish, where bright, floral notes restore elements of brightness and freshness. Yellow stone fruits, light honey and smokiness linger in the glass. I especially like the energy and polish here. This is a fabulous bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2013+.
Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate #196, Aug 2011

Quite a pale colour, the nose shows a touch of gunflint reduction. There is very good energy here, lovely lime notes alongside orange blossom and dancing fruit. This is stylish and has great persistence. A very lovely expression of Puligny, with beautiful poise. Drink 2021-2027.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

The vintage here began on 1st September and lasted a week. Jean-Philippe reports excellent yields in 2015, much more than in 2014. He hardly needed to settle the juice after pressing because the grapes were so healthy. He also took longer over the press cycle but has stirred the lees much less. The plan is for more natural body in his wines and less technique. He has also been reasonable with his prices this year: “Wine is a product for sharing,” he notes.

We think that this is the best Referts that Arnaud has ever made. Subtle, delicate, elegant aromas of white flowers are followed by a sensual, stylish palate. After the power of the Meursaults, this initially seems light but soon develops into an altogether different proposition.The epitome of finesse, this could be defined as the Haute Couture of the wine world.

A full bodied Puligny-Montrachet, this is located next to Meursault. At 400m, Sous le Puis is one of the highest vineyards in Puligny, giving a wonderful freshness to balance the fatness of the wine. Very concentrated and massively persistent, I rated this among my ‘buys-of-the vintage’.

The vineyard’s proximity to Blagny and height at the top of the hill means that ripe years like 2017 are a godsend for this wine. This has much more texture than usual but also retains its natural restraint, creating a classic Puligny style. Really good this year. Drink 2023-2030.


Despite the localised frosts in 2017, Bachelets yields this year are similar to 2015 and close to the average of recent years. Benot and Jean-Baptiste began the harvest on 30th August with the warmer sites of En Remilly, Blanchot Dessus and Bienvenues, and finished on 8th September in the lower-lying Derrire la Tour. Benot commented on how clean and healthy the fruit was this year; there was a little bit of mildew in the spring, but otherwise the year was problem-free. An honest, precise vintage, inhis view.

It is no surprise that Jean-Philippe’s precise style fits perfectly with Puligny. His Referts has a touch of classy reduction, while the palate has delicate fruit before filling out a little on the middle, with white flowers and some fennel notes. The finish packs a punch, with intense and concentrated acidity. Drink 2023-2030.

Jean-Philippe explained how he and his vineyard team had to work extremely hard in the aftermath of the 2016 frost, managing the vines to make sure that the following year’s growth would not be compromised. Meticulous marathonrunner Jean-Philippe is just the man for such an arduous task. He is delighted with the results, explaining that quality is excellent and the yield was neither too big, nor too small. These wines are as reliably fresh and precise as you would expect, with each vineyard’s character shining through.

Jean-Philippe’s 0.22-hectare plot of vines planted in 1963 is just into Puligny, adjacent to the middle of Meursault Charmes. His winemaking brings delightful precision to full-bodied, age-worthy Puligny. Drink 2023-2030.