2014 Henri Germain et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Les Fairendes

Henri Germain et Fils is in Meursault, in Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune. The family operation owns or leases 19 acres, and its very limited production Meursaults and Montrachets have a cult following among French collectors. The domaine was founded in 1973 when Henri started making his own wine. Now his son Jean-Frederic has taken over the winemaking. Henri Germain produces the Premier Crus Meursaults Les Charmes and Les Perrieres, and the Premier Cru blanc Chassange-Montrachet Morgeot. Also produced are several village whites and reds, including the red monopole Meursault Clos des Mouches. Henri’s wife is from the Pillot family of Chassange, and another of his sons is Benoit Germain of Chateau de Chorey-les-Beaune. Clive Coates has written that “the Germains are always happy to let nature take its course. They don’t bottle for 18 months. This is a good source.”

Chassagne-Montrachet is the appellation that covers the communes of Chassagne-Montrachet and Remigny, and it is the southern-most of the Côte d’Or’s three great white wine appellations of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. With 1,200 acres of vineyards, it is one of the largest appellations in the region, and more than half the vineyard acreage is Grand Cru or Premier Cru. The three famous Grand Crus are Le Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. There are also 16 main Premiers Crus, most of them considered very high quality, and village wines. One fact rarely noted is that historically the appellation produced more red than white wine. In the late 1990s the ratio of white to red wines changed, however, as more vineyards were converted from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay, a logical decision given the acclaim of the appellation’s whites. There are still intriguing red wines produced. Clive Coates wrote that the appellation’s white wines generally are “full and firm, more akin to Puligny than to the softer, rounder wines of Meursault.”

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.