Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Charmont” Blanc 2021

Producer

Édouard Delaunay

Wine

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Charmont” Blanc

Vintage

2021

Country

France

Region

Burgundy

Subregion

Hautes-Côtes de Nuits

Grapes

Chardonnay

Format

750 ml

Character

Fruity and rounded, with noticeable oak, a lactic character and good fruit underneath.

TCJ assessment

A solid Chardonnay with good fruit at its core, accompanied by a clear presence of oak and a noticeable lactic character. The palate is rounded and relatively generous, with the élevage playing an important role in the overall expression.

The Hautes-Côtes de Nuits vineyards sit at higher elevations than the Côte de Nuits itself. This area also has particular significance for Édouard Delaunay: the Delaunay family established itself at Château de Charmont in L’Étang-Vergy in 1954. For the 2021 Charmont Blanc, fermentation begins in stainless steel before continuing in barrels, 21% of them new, followed by eight months on fine lees with regular bâtonnage. This helps provide context for the oak and lactic elements found in the wine.

There is good fruit beneath the winemaking influence, and the different elements come together reasonably well. A good Chardonnay in a broader, oak-influenced style, although the élevage remains prominent enough to limit some of the definition and precision.