2019 Moillard-Grivot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Embazées Blanc

Moillard is an historic name in the Côte d’Or. But as a label it has often been confusing. The domaine started in 1848 when a young man named Symphorien Moillard married Margueritte Grivot, the daughter of a vineyard owner. In the many generations since then new vineyards were acquired, older parcels divided up for inheritance, and in true Burgundian style labels were often modified to reflect generational changes in the management of the domaine, or new parts of the domaine. Labels have included Thomas-Moillard, Moillard, Moillard-Grivot and Maison Moillard. By the early 21st century the estate had become a major player in the Côte d’Or, as a producer and a negociant. However today the Moillard extended family no longer owns the domaine or the maison. With more than 65 shareholders, most of them family members, disagreements arose and in 2005 some 30 acres of prime vineyards were sold off to Domaine Dujac and Etienne de Montille. In 2008 the remainder of Molliard was sold to Vincent Sauvestre, a major producer, negociant and land owner in Burgundy and elsewhere. Sauvestre owns the negociant Jean-Baptiste Béjot and more than 740 acres throughout Burgundy, Provence and Languedoc.

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.