Domaine Bertrand Guillemaud Bourgogne Côte d'Or 2020
An elegant and refreshing Chardonnay, with lifted citrus, stone fruits, and floral aromas through to a beautifully balanced and creamy palate with a long mineral finish.
The one-hectare vineyard is based in Meursault at an elevation of 320 metres above sea level and just 200 metres from the renowned terroir of Puligny Montrachet. The vines are planted in clay-limestone soils; the clay element has good water retention properties and helps to nourish the vines throughout any dry spells during the ripening period, while the limestone imparts the characteristic elegance of Côte d’ Or Chardonnay. The vines are trained according to the Guyot method, which limits the vine’s lignified growth to the trunk, so the vine is less susceptible to frost. The climate is typically continental, with cold winters and hot, dry summers, and the area can be susceptible to spring frost. The vines are meticulously cultivated following a sustainable approach, traditional ploughing takes place in lieu of chemical preparations and the grapes are hand-harvested at optimum maturity.
The grapes were carefully sorted to vinify only the top-quality fruit from this artisanal producer. Fermentation took place with natural yeast to retain the authentic character from the vineyard. Maturation in 350-litre French oak barrels, of which 15% were new, lasted for 10 months and imparted lovely weight, texture and lees complexity to the cuvée.
| RRP | £46.75 |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Country | France |
| Region | Burgundy |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 1 |
| Dry/Sweet value | 1 |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | No |
| Milk | Yes |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Diam |
Based in Meursault, Bertrand Guillemaud is the fifth generation of the Guillemaud family to cultivate the artisanal, family estate. Bertrand is keen to showcase the subtle nuances of the terroir found in each of their plots, or ‘climats’, so each parcel is nurtured individually, taking a bespoke approach from the vine to bottling. The family strongly believes in la lutte raisonnée, sustainable viticulture, protecting the ecology of the vineyard and the terroir for future generations. The vines are grown without the use of herbicides, instead traditional ploughing techniques are used. In the winery, Bertrand aims to allow the minerality and terroir to be fully expressed through minimal intervention. Bertrand is a firm believer that wine should be accessible to all, and his labels are translated into Braille.
