2013 Domaine Marc Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot 750 ml

One of the Finest and Age-Worthy White Burgundies

That this 2013 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru was the standout in a lineup of the domaine’s wines came as no surprise to our Chief Wine Officer and Master of WIne Matt Deller MW, and our Wine Access judging panel experts Master Sommelier Sur Lucero MS and Master of Wine candidate Vanessa Conlin. They found it “beautifully complex and mineral-driven,” with “layers of flint, green apple, lemon, hazelnut, brioche and nougat.” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate also has laid on the praise for winemaker Sabine Mollard who is “quietly going about producing some of Chassagne's finest whites at Domaine Marc Morey.” It’s no wonder, given that Virondot is effectively a monopole for Marc Morey (the only other grower who owns about 10% of the vines doesn’t bottle a wine with this vineyard) and it's treated with a monopole’s care and attention. Burgundy expert Allen Meadows explicitly points out the terroir’s beauty in his 92-point review: “the altitude of the vineyard is reflected in the essence of pear, apple, wet stone and citrus scents,” said Meadows. Elsewhere $85, but only $65 per bottle — drawn directly from the cellars in Burgundy.

In 1977, Marc Morey was joined by his daughter Mary-Jo and her husband Bernard Mollard at the domaine. Today, it’s Marc’s granddaughter, Sabine Mollard, who has taken over winemaking responsibilities. The family’s estate remains small, but it includes some of the most priceless parcels in Burgundy, including hillside rows in Batard-Montrachet and five distinct Premier Crus. If “Les Caillerets” is perhaps Sabine’s richest and most refined Premier Cru, the vineyard that has long most enchanted collectors with its wound-up and phenomenally age-worthy structure is the 5-acre swath of “En Virondot.”

As is so often the case, the story of Burgundy’s 2013 vintage was told in the last weeks before harvest. This was a cool growing season. The set was small. Even so, the chilly conditions slowed down the maturation cycle. By September 25th, growers needed to make a call. Either they could begin picking, so as to preserve natural acidity, or postpone harvest, betting on a glorious Indian summer. Sabine Mollard called it perfectly. Harvest began at Domaine Marc Morey on September 25th. The last Chardonnay clusters at Premier Cru “En Virondot” were picked in the first days of October — just a few days before the rain began to fall on October 5th and 6th. Each bottle of our offer has been drawn directly from the cellar in Chassagne-Montrachet — in perfect condition and provenance.