1988 Chateau de Puligny Montrachet Bourgogne Clos du Chateau

Château de Puligny-Montrachet is part of the wine producing and negociant enterprise of the de Montille family. The family has had its roots in Burgundy winemaking since the 18th century. But it was Hubert de Montille, who trained as a lawyer, who nevertheless took over the family business in the 1950s, ending the family’s centuries-long tradition of selling grapes to negociants. Hubert died several years ago and today Hubert’s children Étienne and Alix run the estate. Etienne worked during the 1990s at California wine producers. The de Montilles bought the 50-care Château de Puligny-Montrachet in 2012, primarily to produce Chardonnay. The family’s other labels include Deux Montille Soeur-Frére and Domaine de Montille.

Burgundy in eastern France is, if not the most famous and storied wine region in the world, certainly one of the top two or three. Its winemaking history dates from the Roman era, and its relatively small size and reputation for outstanding wines means that the best wines of Burgundy are generally among the world’s most prized – and costly – wines. At about 110,000 vineyards acres, Burgundy is only 40% as big as Bordeaux, and its system of dividing up vineyards into small, family-owned parcels makes understanding the wines of Burgundy a life-long pursuit for Burgundy enthusiasts. The three main grapes of Burgundy are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay. Burgundy is a long, narrow, north-south running region consisting of five main areas. They are Chablis in the north, Côte D’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais and Beaujolais, which is just above the Rhone Valley. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown throughout most of Burgundy but Gamay is grown primarily in Beaujolais. The appellation system and rules about labeling can be confusing and the system classifies regions, villages and even individual vineyards. Grand Cru is the most prestigious appellation category, followed by Premier Cru and many village and regional appellations.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.