1996 Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot

Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard takes its name from the marriage of Richard Fontaine to Laurence Gagnard, the daughter of Jacques Gagnard of Domaine Gagnard-Delagrange. Like many estates in Burgundy, Fontaine-Gagnard’s history is inextricably linked with generations of families that have intermarried, divided vineyards and sometimes reunited disparate vineyards and estates into new properties. Laurence inherited part of her father’s estate, which is now the estate she and her husband own and operate. Fontaine-Gagnard has 20 acres mostly in Chassagne-Montrachet with premier cru parcels in Pommard and Volnay. There are also grand cru parcels in Le Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet and Criots-Batard-Montrachet. Especially noteworthy is the estate’s Criots-Batard-Montrachet, since it comes from a vineyard that includes just 5 acres. Clive Coates has called Fontaine-Gagnard “one of the very best sources” for Criots-Batard-Montrachet. The estate produces a total of 36,000 bottles a year.

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.