Oscar Wilde once remarked: The French take such pride in their wines that they name towns after their grand cru vineyards. This primarily refers to the Burgundy region. Among these “grand cru” towns, none surpass Chassagne and Puligny as the pinnacle of white wine production, for here lies the world's most esteemed Chardonnay vineyard: Montrachet.
Montrachet is a Grand Cru vineyard spanning less than 8 hectares, shared among just 17 producers including Romanée-Conti, with only 6 holding actual ownership of the land! Today's spotlight falls on Guy Amiot, a venerable estate established a century ago that shares the vineyard with Romanée-Conti and stands as one of Montrachet's true landowners!
Situated within the village of Chassagne-Montrachet, Domaine Guy Amiot was founded in 1920 by Arsène and Flavie Amiot, who at the time resided in Paris running a laundry business. Their prosperous clientele enabled the estate to sell wine steadily and far afield, leading to excellent development. Subsequently, they acquired parcels including Les Vergers, Le Clos Saint Jean, Les Caillerets, and Dents de Chien (which later became Le Montrachet Grand Cru in 1937). In the 1930s, the Amiots opened a wine shop in Paris to sell their estate wines directly, an innovative approach at a time when all wine was sold to merchants. The estate is now in its fourth generation, with Thierry and Fabrice Amiot, brothers, as the current proprietors. Thierry oversees vineyard management and winemaking, while Fabrice handles estate administration and sales.
Unlike the stories of division among other wine-producing families, Thierry and Fabrice, as one of the six major landowners of Montrachet, have jointly managed the estate since taking over in 1985, ensuring the family business continues to thrive. The estate now produces 26 wines, including the globally renowned “King of White Wines” – Le Montrachet. Its vineyard parcels are scattered across villages such as Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Meursault, Santenay, and Bouzeron.
Chassagne-Montrachet, situated within Burgundy's Côte de Beaune region, holds the distinction of producing some of the world's finest Chardonnay wines. It ranks alongside the premier white wine villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. The appellation encompasses approximately 197.66 hectares dedicated to white wine production, 106.45 hectares are dedicated to red wine production, encompassing three Grand Cru vineyards: Criots-Batard-Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, and Montrachet. The latter two Grand Cru sites are shared with Puligny-Montrachet, alongside 55 Premier Cru vineyards.
The vineyards exhibit distinct differences between the northern and southern parts of the village. The southern section features higher limestone clay and red gravel soils, better suited for Pinot Noir cultivation. The northern area predominantly consists of clayey limestone structures, more favourable for Chardonnay. The climate is continental, characterised by warm, dry summers and cold, prolonged winters, though slightly milder than Chablis, making it an ideal terroir for Chardonnay.
一級園Les Champs Gain位於Chassagne村莊的中心地帶。香氣上充滿成熟的梨子風味，伴隨著榛果和奶油糕點的圓潤香氣。口感上展現出漂亮的集中度與平衡性，尾韻悠長。隨著時間的推進，將發展出更深邃的複雜度與細節，展現出非凡的陳年潛力。
Winemaking
Guy Amiot's wines are clear and clean, with exuberant fruit aromas. The proportion of new oak barrels is approximately 30% (Le Montrachet, yielding only one barrel, uses 100% new oak). The emphasis is not on oak character; after one year in oak barrels, the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks for resting. Vineyard management remains traditional, cultivating the vines to allow the wine to fully express the terroir.
