Pierre Yves Colin Morey Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru 2021
(Cote de Beaune, France) - [DM 95] [WA 91-93] [JM 90-92] [BH 89-92] [VM 89-91]

About the Winemaker:
The young Pierre-Yves Colin is rapidly becoming one of most highly regarded winemakers in Burgundy. He has been making the wine at Marc Colin, the family Domaine, for over 10 years. He went to enology school in Beaune and worked at Chalk Hill as well as wineries in the Northern Rhone, Languedoc and Loire before returning to Burgundy. He and his wife Caroline, Jean-Marc Morey's daughter, founded their own negociant firm and made 150 cases total from five appellations in the debut 2001 vintage.

The approach in both the vineyard and the winery is natural and non-interventionist. At Domaine Marc Colin he eliminated the use of herbicides in most of the vineyards and switched to plowing, which deepens the root system and improves the flavors of the wine. He follows the same program at his estate vineyards. Approximately 60% of the total production now comes from the estate vineyards in Chassagne and Saint Aubin. They bought a new press in 2006 and Pierre-Yves now harvests most of the purchased fruit with his own team. Production of the 1er and Grand Crus is still miniscule - only 2 or 3 barrel s from each vineyard.

The juice is pressed into barrel before primary fermentation and then Pierre-Yves leaves them alone as much as possible. Fermentation is always initiated by natural yeast and he does not stir the lees, rack the barrels or even filter the wines.

Pierre-Yves also prefers unusual barrels - about 80% of them are 50% larger than normal Burgundy barrels. Depending on the vintage, most of the top wines are aged in new oak, but the larger barrels minimize the oak influence and also delay the malolactic fermentation. The cellar is also kept very cold to further delay the malolactic fermentation - which ideally finishes 8-9 months after harvest. Approximately 18 months after harvest the wines are lightly fined and then bottled. The extended elevage helps preserve aromatic intensity and purity as well as giving the wines the right balance for long-term ageing.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Decanter Magazine:
“The vineyards farmed by the domaine were so badly damaged by frost and rain in 2021 that the premier cru parcels in Chassagne (like the village-level vines) were blended together. At the premier cru level this includes Chenevottes, Caillerets, and Abbaye de Morgeot; the result was seven barrels instead of 25, but the quality of what remained was tremendous, with ripe apple and pear fruit aromas kissed with a floral edge and a firm mineral note. The texture showed pleasant density and nice 'shoulders' – admirable length, breadth and substance. This is impressive wine by any measure.” – Charles Curtis MW (Oct 2022)

91-93 Points - Wine Advocate:
“A blend of all Pierre-Yves's premiers crus, the 2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru is chiseled and concentrated, revealing aromas of pear, freshly baked bread, buttery pastry, mint and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, with a long, chalky finish, it will really benefit from further élevage.” - William Kelley (Jan 2023)

90-92 Points - Jasper Morris' Inside Burgundy:
“A blend of Abbaye de Morgeot, Chenevottes and Baudines, in proportions of 50-40-10 roughly. Pale colour, fresh, racy fruit on the nose, juicy at the front of the palate, stricter behind, white fruit, plenty of tension. More linear than broad. Drink from 2025-2030.” (Oct 2022)

89-92 Points - BurgHound:
“Here too there is enough wood to mention framing a cool mix of both white and yellow orchard fruit, especially peach, along with hints of petrol and rosemary oil. There is better volume to the bigger-bodied and lightly stony flavors that offer solid depth and balance, yet the length on the citrusy finish comes up a bit short. I suspect that this will better harmonize once it is in bottle for a few years.” (Jun 2023)

89-91 Points - Vinous Media:
“The 2021 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru is a blend of Morgeot, Baudines and Chenevottes that are normally bottled separately. “I hope it’s the last time I have to do that,” Pierre-Yves comments. It has a well-defined, quite complex bouquet with scents of crushed rock, orange blossom and a touch of wild peach. The palate is well balanced with a sapid entry. Fine concentration, crisp acidity, cohesive and yet maybe just deprived of real complexity on the saline finish. One to keep an eye upon.” – Neal Martin (Jan 2023)