Drouhin produced only a half-crop of the Laguiche Montrachet, harvesting it in three separate passages to ensure all the grapes were picked at optimal maturity, and the result is superb. Aromas of citrus zest, hazelnut, yellow orchard fruit, crème pâtissière, ripe peach, and a subtle framing of reduction precede a full-bodied, supple wine with a deep core of sappy fruit. It has impressive amplitude and dimension, and lovely cut and intensity. Elegant and complete, this is a lovely Montrachet and an impressive achievement in 2016.

The 2016 Montrachet Grand Cru has a lucid silvery sheen. The bouquet is quite generous, offering scents of brioche, white peach and almond, all well defined and gaining intensity in the glass. The concentrated palate features notes of peach skin and ginger and a hint of caramelized pear. Quite a feisty Montrachet with a spicy, persistent finish. The crop was reduced 50% by frost, and you can feel the concentration here. Excellent. Tasted at the Montrachet vertical in London.

Cask sample. 16 months in oak. Drouhin harvested only 17-18 hl/ha on their 2-ha plot. A lot of millerandage.
Richer and riper than the Corton-Charlemagne Propriétés, almost a little oily. Powerful and sweetly fruited with ripe citrus and some spice. Deep and incredibly long and an almost savoury complexity on the finish though the fruit purity – citrus and pear – comes back on the long finish. Stunning. Endless.
Julia Harding MW