Saint-Aubin 1er Cru "Murgers des Dents de Chien" 2023 Larue | Burgundy

Situated on the border of the Saint Aubin appellation with Puligny-Montrachet, halfway up a south-facing hillside, Domaine Larue 's Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien overlooks the most prestigious crus of Puligny and Chassagne - including the legendary Grand Cru Montrachet. A true star of its appellation, this climat owes its recognizable name to the low dry-stone walls that surround the plots ("murgers" referring to the piles of stone and low walls extracted by the winemakers) and to its thin limestone soils, the outcrops of which outline mineral fangs reminiscent of dog's teeth. With its Chardonnay vines planted between 1946 and 1997 at high density on what Domaine Larue describes as a veritable "oasis of earth" in the middle of the rock, its average altitude of 340 meters and the singular pedology of this terroir of just over one hectare, everything comes together to give this wine a mineral intensity and power that are unparalleled in Burgundy.

The wine estate's rigorous viticulture, combined with precise mechanical working of the soil and organic care during the summer, allow the grapes to reach the right degree of ripeness before being harvested by hand. The grapes are lightly crushed, then pressed, and the juice fermented in oak barrels, 20% of which are renewed with each vintage. The wine then rests on its fine lees for 12 months for initial ageing in barrels, before spending a further 6 months in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Larue 's Saint Aubin 1er Cru Murgers des Dents de Chien translates the limestone harshness of this emblematic climate with candor and panache. With its natural concentration, punctuated by the chiseled tension of the terroir and the formidable mineral personality of Murgers des Dents de Chien, this cru unquestionably reigns at the pinnacle of the Saint Aubin appellation. It should be aged for at least 5 years to reveal its full potential.

The nose develops an intense, resolutely mineral expression of rubbed stone and damp chalk. There's no fruity emphasis here: the rock and verticality of the terroir dominate, bringing a certain complexity to this deceptively austere profile. After a good airing, this Saint Aubin 1er Cru releases elegant aromas of white flowers and a finely toasted structure.

On the palate, this wine reveals all its complexity with a delicate attack that gradually gains in volume and concentration. The body fleshes out with stony, subtly woody flavors, without losing its superb saline tension. The vibrant finish brings out the full depth of this great Burgundy terroir.