Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2011 750ml

Criots, because of its amphitheater-like shape that heats up, often is quite exotic. This version is not an exception though in this case it’s less than usual as the yellow orchard fruit and dried floral aromas are wonderfully fresh. There is excellent volume to the focused, detailed and powerful medium weight plus flavors that brim with plenty of mouth coating dry extract that imparts a seductive palate impression to the impressively deep and long finish. This is sufficiently firm that it will need the better part of a decade to arrive at its full maturity but it should still be approachable after 5 to 6 years if desired.

• Country: France
• Region: Burgundy
• Appellation: Cote De Beaune
• Sub Appellation: Batard Montrachet
• Size: 750ml
• Color: White

Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.