2009 Domaine Jean Chartron Puligny Montrachet Clos du Cailleret

Domaine Jean Chartron was founded in 1859 by a cooper named Jean-Edouard Dupard. He became the town mayor and is credited with coming up with the idea of adding the name Montrachet to Puligny, thereby creating a name that is now synonymous with the world’s most prestigious dry white wines. Jean-Michel Chartron runs the 33-acre estate today. The estate was larger at one time when it was part of the Chartron et Trebuchet negociant, which made less complex wines. But today the estate is a single business, with no connection to the former negociant. Wine Advocate wrote this in 2015: “Readers of this publication will already be aware that I am a big fan of the work that Jean-Michel Chartron is doing at his winery in the heart of Puligny…I find his wines to be complex, terroir/vintage expressive, perhaps you could say more "serious" without losing the sheer pleasure they give.”

Le Cailleret is a 7.8-acre Premier Cru vineyard in the appellation of Puligny-Montrachet, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. Le Cailleret is just above the Grand Cru Le Montrachet. Burgundy writer Clive Coates notes that at its best, Le Cailleret and its diminutive neighbor Les Demoiselles “make exquisite wines: not as powerful as Le Montrachet itself, but of pure breed, excellent grip and beautiful balance.”

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.