AOC/AOP Regulations
Département
- Côte d’Or
Communes of Production
- Puligny-Montrachet
Styles and Encépagement
- Blanc: Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc
- Rouge: Pinot Noir, plus a max. 15% combined mixed plantings of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay
- Blanc/Rouge „Premier Cru“
- Rouge wines may be additionally labeled „Côte de Beaune“
Minimum Potential Alcohol
- Blanc: 11%
- Rouge: 10.5%
- Blanc „Premier Cru“: 11.5%
- Rouge „Premier Cru“: 11%
Minimum Must Weights
- Blanc: 178 g/l (170 g/l prior to 2011)
- Rouge: 180 g/l (171 g/l prior to 2011)
- Blanc „Premier Cru“: 187 g/l (178 g/l prior to 2011)
- Rouge „Premier Cru“: 189 g/l (180 g/l prior to 2011)
Maximum Residual Sugar
- Blanc: 3 g/l
- Rouge: 2 g/l
Élevage
- Wines may not be released until June 30 of the year following the harvest
Minimum Planting Density
- 9,000 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)
- Blanc: 57 hl/ha (45 hl/ha prior to 2011)
- Rouge: 50 hl/ha (40 hl/ha prior to 2011)
- Blanc „Premier Cru“: 55 hl/ha (45 hl/ha prior to 2011)
- Rouge „Premier Cru“: 48 hl/ha (40 hl/ha prior to 2011)
Principal Soil Type
- brown limestone
AOC Established
- 1937 (last updated 2011)
Links
Grand Cru Vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet (4)
| Vineyard | Size* | Major Producers | Notes |
| Bâtard-Montrachet |
11.13 ha (approx. 6 ha in Puligny) |
Ramonet, Leflaive, Paul Pernot, Blain-Gagnard | Prior to creation of this AOC in 1937, the vineyard was actually much larger, encompassing the other two „Bâtard“ Grand Crus and other surrounding Premier Cru and village-level vineyard land. |
| Origin of Name: According to local folklore, a medieval Lord of Montrachet once had a bastard (bâtard) son: the result of a dalliance with a virgin, or pucelle. Several variations of this story exist. | |||
| Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet | 3.57 ha | Leflaive, Ramonet, Paul Pernot, Vincent Girardin, Jacques Carillon | |
| Origin of Name: According to the legend, the Lord’s special endearment for his bastard son is reflected in the name of this vineyard („Bienvenues“ = „welcome“). A less romantic but more believable tale dates the vineyard’s name back to the 19th century, when vineyard workers from afar were known as „les Bienvenues.“ | |||
| Chevalier-Montrachet | 7.47 ha | Leflaive, Louis Latour, Michel Niellon, D’Auvenay, Vincent Girardin, Colin-Deléger | In 1939, a 1.27 ha portion of the Premier Cru „Les Caillerets“ (owned by Louis Jadot and Louis Latour) was added to Chevalier-Montrachet. This parcel is now known as „Les Demoiselles“. A further 0.25 ha of „Les Caillerets“ was upgraded to Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru in 1974. |
| Origin of Name: According to the legend, the Lord of Montrachet also fathered a legitimate heir, who fought as a knight, or chevalier, in the Crusades. | |||
| Montrachet |
7.80 ha |
J. Drouhin (Marquis de Laguiche), Ramonet, Bouchard | Only 5 estates own parcels of Montrachet on the Puligny side. |
| Origin of Name: The vineyard has its origins in the 13th century, when the Abbaye de Maizières received a gift of land on „le Mont Chauve,“ the „bald mountain.“ This site was alternatively named „Mont Rachaz“ (the „shaven mountain“) and it is from the latter name that „Montrachet“ is derived. | |||
| * https://www.bourgogne-wines.com, August 2019 | |||
Premier Cru Vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet (17)
| Vineyard | Size** | Major Producers | Notes |
| Champ Canet | 4.06 ha | Etienne Sauzet, Jacques Carillon, Latour-Giraud | |
| Champ Gain | 10.70 ha | Vincent Girardin, Comtes Lafon, Jean-Luc Pascal, Michel Bouzereau | |
| Origin of Name: „Gain“ is derived from the Old French gaaing, which describes a pasture or cultivated land. | |||
| Clavaillon | 5.59 ha | Domaine Leflaive, Alain Chavy, Jean-Louis Chavy | |
| Origin of Name: „Clavaillon“ is derived from „Clos Voillon.“ | |||
| Clos de la Garenne | 1.53 ha | Domaine du Duc de Magenta (Louis Jadot), Paul Pernot | Clos de la Garenne is NOT located within la Garenne. |
| Origin of Name: In the Middle Ages, a garenne, or „warren,“ was a hunting park reserved for a lord. | |||
| Clos de la Mouchère | 3.92 ha | Henri Boillot, monopole | Clos de la Mouchère is located within the Les Perrières Premier Cru. |
| Origin of Name: „Mouchère“ is derived from mouche, or „bees.“ | |||
| Hameau de Blagny | 4.28 ha | Etienne Sauzet, Domaine de Chérisey | This Blagny vineyard only produces white wines as Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru. |
| Origin of Name: „The hamlet of Blagny“ | |||
| Le Cailleret | 3.33 ha | Jean Chartron, de la Pousse d’Or, de Montille, Henri Boillot, Domaine des Lambrays | A portion of the Le Cailleret vineyard was reclassified as Chevalier-Montrachet. The vineyard is adjacent to the northern border of Montrachet, and often appears as „Clos du Cailleret“ on labels. This was a red wine vineyard through the 1940s, but today only Chartron produces a red wine from the site. |
| Origin of Name: „Caille“, or calliou (Old French) refers to a pebbly, stony field; „Cailleret“ = „the stone of the king“ | |||
| Les Chalumaux | 5.79 ha | Thierry Matrot | |
| Origin of Name: Chalumaux was a historic owner of the vineyard. | |||
| Les Combettes | 6.76 ha | Leflaive, François Carillon, Etienne Sauzet, Jacques Prieur, Jean-Marc Boillot, Michel Ampeau, Vincent Girardin | |
| Origin of Name: „Combettes“ is derived from combe, indicating a steep hillside overlooking a valley. | |||
| Les Demoiselles | 0.60 ha | Guy Amiot, Colin-Deléger | Les Demoiselles is within Le Cailleret, and much of it is classified as Chevalier-Montrachet. |
| Origin of Name: In 1913 Louis Jadot and Louis Latour purchased parcels in this vineyard, then owned by two unmarried sisters. After its sale, the vineyard’s name was changed to honor the two damsels and their father, a general from Beaune. | |||
| Les Folatières | 17.65 ha | Paul Pernot, Leflaive, Maroslavac-Leger, Vincent Girardin, Alain Chavy, Jean-Louis Chavy, Philippe Chavy | There are four lieux-dits: Ez Folatières, En-la-Richarde, Le Peux-Bois and Au Chaniot. |
| Origin of Name: „Folatières“ derives from the Old French follow, which (like brouillards) translates to „fog.“ The vineyard is in a humid area where fog may settle. | |||
| La Garenne | 9.87 ha | Etienne Sauzet, Marc Colin | This Blagny vineyard only produces white wines as Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru. |
| Origin of Name: In the Middle Ages, a garenne, or „warren,“ was a hunting park reserved for a lord. | |||
| Les Perrières | 8.41 ha | François Carillon, Jacques Carillon, Etienne Sauzet, Jean-Louis Chavy | |
| Origin of Name: Le perrier was a worker who extracted stone from a quarry. | |||
| Les Pucelles | 5.13 ha | Leflaive, Jean Chartron, Paul Pernot, Marc Morey, Henri Boillot | |
| Origin of Name: Some versions of the Montrachet tale suggest that the „the virgins“ of Les Pucelles were the pious daughters of the Lord of Montrachet; others suggest that the virgin credited here was, in fact, anything but, and cite her as the mother of the bastard (bâtard). | |||
| Les Referts | 5.52 ha | Arnaud Ente, Etienne Sauzet, Jacques Carillon, Bachelet-Monnot, Jean-Marc Boillot | |
| Origin of Name: „Referts“ may be derived from refe, which describes land strewn with scrub and rocks. | |||
| La Truffière | 2.48 ha | Jean-Marc Boillot, Colin-Deléger, Bernard Morey | |
| Origin of Name: Prior to the development of vineyards, this site was famous for the production of Tuber uncinatum, the Burgundy truffle. | |||
| Sous le Puits | 6.80 ha | Jean-Marc Boillot | This Blagny vineyard only produces white wines as Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru. |
| Origin of Name: „Put“ = „well“ | |||
| *Coates, Clive. The Wines of Burgundy. Rev. ed. Berkeley: The University of California Press, 2008. | |||