2017 Etienne Sauzet Bourgogne enjoyed on 11/9/19 at Ema with LT & KR
WSET Tasting Note
This wine is pale lemon. The aroma intensity is medium with primary aromas of green fruit (apple), citrus (lemon peel), stone fruit (white peach) and florals (chamomile). There are secondary aromas of yeast (yogurt). The wine is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium alcohol, and medium body. The flavor intensity is medium with apple, lemon peel, peach, and chamomile. The finish is medium (+). This is a very good wine that is ready to drink now but is suitable for further aging.
Pairing
The delicate flavors and zippy acidity in this wine paired quite well with many of the dishes that we enjoyed, making it a great option at a small, shared plate restaurant like Aba. In particular, the flavors and weight were wonderfully balanced against the Grilled Moroccan Spiced Chicken Cutlet (toasted pine nut, lemon caper, parsley) and the acidity against the Whipped Feta (crushed pistachio, olive oil, lemon zest) was particularly pleasing.
2017 Etienne Sauzet Bourgogne at Ema
Producer
In the early 1900s, Etienne Sauzet created Domaine Etienne Sauzet with 12 ha (29 acres) of vineyards that he inherited and purchased in Puligny-Montrachet. The Domaine has been passed down (and slightly expanded upon) for four generations, now in the hands of Sauzet’s great-granddaughter Jeanine and her husband, Benoit Riffualt. Winemaking practices have been modernized to include improved vinification techniques and biodynamic farming (organic farming since 2006, biodynamic since 2010). As Jeanine puts it, ‘“Sauzet” are still six-letters which ring as an homage to Chardonnay’.
Region
Etienne Sauzet is located in the Puligny-Montrachet AOC which lies in the Cote de Beaune, the southern part of the Cote d’Or within Burgundy. That’s a mouthful: Burgundy > Cote d’Or > Cote de Beaune > Puligny-Montrachet AOC. Here’s a great map via Wine Folly:
Map via Wine Folly
To break it down from big to small, we’ll start with Burgundy as a whole. In general, Burgundy’s climate is continental with cold winters and short, warm summers. Burgundy is known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, two grapes that ripen early making them suitable for this climate. Then we scale down to the Côte d’Or, a 30-mile-long area full of complexities with the individual site being very important and each village having its own character. The Côte d’Or lies on a range of hills, so the vineyard’s specific aspect, altitude, slope degree, and soil all influence the final quality of the grapes and the wines. The region is comprised of soils with various types of limestone and clay. Then we dig down to the Côte de Beaune which is the southern half of the Côte d’Or. The Côte de Beaune has more clay in its soils that the Côte de Nuits and the soils are deeper - Chardonnay is the star. Puligny-Montrachet AOC lies within the Côte de Beaune and is one of the finest white wine-producing regions in Burgundy and the world.
Varietal
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is an incredibly versatile grape. It can be grown in a wide range of climates and is made in a wide range of styles. In cooler climates, you find green fruit and citrus notes while warmer climates produce wines with tropical aromas. The use of oak is producer dependent and imparts flavors like toast, spice, and caramel.
The Côte d’Or is a moderate climate that often produces Chardonnay with ripe citrus, melon and stone fruit. The body is typically medium to medium (+) and the acidity is medium (+) to high. For this wine, Sauzet ages half the wine in wood, but only 10% of the wood is new. This imparts slight oak nuances without being overwhelming.