1997 Marc Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Encégnières

Domaine Marc Colin et Fils is in Saint-Aubin. It was founded in 1970 by Marc Colin, who retired in 1995 after having turned the domaine into one of the appellation’s most admired producers. Today the domaine is run by three of his children, Caroline, Joseph and Damien. A third son, Pierre-Yves, has started his own domaine nearby. The 47-acre Domaine Marc Colin et Fils has parcels in 26 appellations in the communes of Saint-Aubin, Chassange-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and Santenay, producing about 120,000 bottles annually. Seventy percent of the wines are white and 30% red. Some 50% of the wines are exported, mostly throughout Europe. The family’s portfolio includes nearly 30 wines, mostly Premier Crus, though there are also Grand Crus and village appellations. Reviewers have been highly complimentary. Wine Advocate’s reviewer wrote in late 2014: “There is just an honesty, a deceptive simplicity to (the wines) because on the surface they are so delicious, yet underneath are some articulate expressions of terroir, stunning mineralité and hidden complexity…. I have heaped praise upon Domaine Marc Colin in previous years. This is no different. Domaine Marc Colin is one of the best growers in the Côte de Beaune...”

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.