2024 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clos Saint Jean"

The vineyard of Clos St. Jean used to, at one time, be almost entirely planted to pinot noir, as this is one of the finest premier crus for pinot in the commune. The fact that the domaine’s vines here are now forty-five years of age shows that Richard Fontaine was ahead of his contemporaries in realizing that a white wine from Clos St. Jean was going to be a more popular option in the market. The 2024 Clos St. Jean chez Fontaine is a fine, fine example of the vintage, with the nose wafting from the glass in a complex blend of pear, apple, a touch of fresh almond, a beautiful base of soil tones, lemon blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure, full-bodied and complex, with a succulent core, excellent soil signature, a lovely spine of acidity and excellent focus and balance on the long, vibrant and nicely reserved finish. This will demand a couple of years’ worth of bottle age before dinking, just to let it blossom properly. 2028-2060.