Domaine de Montille, Le Clos du Château Bourgogne Blanc 2020, 750, mL

Étienne de Montille has assembled one of the most enviable collections of prime vineyard real estate in Burgundy, including 20 hectares of Grand/Premier Crus, but the “Clos du Château” may be the most noteworthy of them all. This is the true ‘hidden gem’ of the extensive De Montille lineup. The “Clos du Château” bottling, which Étienne has called mon chou-chou (“my favorite”), is fermented and then aged one year in mostly used demi-muid (600L) barrels, followed by a period of about five months in stainless steel before bottling. The soils in Clos du Château are rich in silty clay, lending this wine more heft on the palate than just about any ‘Bourgogne’ wine you’re likely to come across, and again, it would be impossible not to peg this as top-quality Puligny-Montrachet in a blind tasting. Its tension, precision, and depth is simply extraordinary. In the glass, it’s a reflective straw-gold with hint of green at the rim, with aromas of yellow apple, quince, lime blossom, citrus pith, white mushroom, fresh cream, and crushed stones. The palate is medium to medium-plus in body and invigoratingly fresh.