Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Garenne" 2023 Larue | Burgundy

On the heights of the Puligny-Montrachet finage, near the edge of the Bois de Blagny, Domaine Larue 's Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne embodies a radically different vision of the image of power often associated with this emblematic Côte de Beaune appellation. The four parcels that make up this 1er Cru occupy just 59 ares of an east-facing, breezy hillside at an altitude of 330 meters. The old Chardonnay vines, planted at high density between 1946 and 1975, plunge deep into the limestone slabs of the subsoil, covered by a thin, highly draining substrate of earth and white stones, often interspersed with fossilized shells, evidence of a marine past that still permeates the structure of the wines today. Where its lower-slope neighbors draw breadth and opulence, this Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru unapologetically captures the freshness and vibrant energy of its climate. Once the grapes have been hand-harvested, delicately crushed and pressed, the must ferments in oak barrels, of which around 20% are renewed each vintage. This is followed by 12 months ageing on fine lees in barrels, then a further 6 months in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : The signature of this Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne from Domaine Larue lies in its tension, reminiscent of its northern neighbors. We sense that mastery of the point of ripeness of the harvest has preserved the structuring acidity of the terroir to fashion the most crystalline interpretation of this great Burgundy appellation. This is a true goldsmith's wine, offering a chiselled alternative to the taut, sapid white wines of the Côte de Beaune.

Here, we forget the pastry notes and plunge into a world of gunflint, damp chalk and wild flowers. Hints of caviar lemon, fresh vanilla bean and roasted almond blend harmoniously with the precise, mineral expression of Chardonnay, whose straightforwardness and brilliance evoke rocky purity and beckon to the table.

On the palate, the wine flows with the fluidity of an athlete, carried by an acid backbone of great nobility. We're not talking fat here, but a silky touch. The initially fine, light material gradually gains in volume with a remarkable sapidity that literally thrills the taste buds. The incredible persistence of the finish stretches out over noble, delicately woody bitters, while a saline aftertaste marks the hilltop origin of this Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne. A pure gastronomic wine, made for the finest seafood pairings!