Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet
Grand Cru 2024
The Essence of a Legend...there are places in Burgundy where Chardonnay reaches a state of grace.
Origin
The smallest of the white Grands Crus of the Côte de Beaune, covering just 1.57 hectares on the upper slopes of Chassagne-Montrachet. At an altitude of 240m, it lies a little lower than its neighbors Chevalier-Montrachet and Montrachet. The soils of this well-exposed parcel are composed of scree and are relatively well drained. “Criots” comes from “craie”, and the subsoil is composed of Bathonian limestone, sometimes mixed with clay.
Legend has it that at the time of the Crusades, there was a castle on the Montrachet hill. The lord sent his only son to the Holy Land to fight. The man had a young mistress whom he met at the “Clos de la Pucelle”. She had a child. The son who went on the Crusade was named Chevalier-Montrachet, and the illegitimate child, Bâtard-Montrachet. On hearing of Chevalier Montrachet's death in the Holy Land, the lord took his illegitimate son as his successor, who was acclaimed: "Welcome to Bâtard Montrachet! Legend has it that the châtelain, disturbed by his young son's crying, cried out in Burgundian dialect “a crio (il crie) l'Bâtard”, giving rise to the name Criots-Bâtard. Thus were born the legendary names of several Puligny-Montrachet Grands Crus, today symbols of the excellence of Burgundy's white wines.
Viticulture
Grape variety: chardonnay
Soils: brown clay-limestone
Orientation: South/East
Surface area under vine: 0.05 ha
Pruning: Guyot system
Yield: 45 hL/ha
Average age of the vine: about fifty years with permanent grassing.
Vinification
Harvest date: 22 September 2024.
The grapes were handpicked.
At the winery: the whole bunches of grapes were gently pressed for 2½ hours. The temperature of the must was brought down to 12°C then was immediately transferred to barrels with no settling to preserve a maximum of lees.
Ageing
Maturation: aged for 17 months in oak barrel of 1 wine, with no racking or stirring to bring out all of this wine’s minerality.
Barrels: French oak barrels that had been toasted at low temperatures for a long time to impart a subtle, delicate touch of oak were used.
Bottling
Bottling: by gravity on March 16, 2026, wine fined with bentonite, light filtration.
Number of bottles: 304.
Vintage
Elegant and Structured
The 2024 vintage, marked by limited sunshine and frequent rainfall, required constant attention in the vineyard. At Les Ursulines, meticulous sorting allowed the selection of the most promising grapes (with very low yields in red), fully expressing the qualitative potential of the harvest. The result meets our highest expectations: the whites display beautiful freshness and acidity, while the reds reveal intense fruit character and supple tannins.
Ageing potential: 10 years and more.
Tasting notes
Its golden color captivates with a beautiful brilliance. The nose reveals a harmonious aromatic complexity, combining candied exotic fruits — passion fruit, mango, papaya — with fresh citrus hints. On the palate, generous breadth extends this richness with indulgent flavors, enhanced by delicate notes of butter and brioche. A structured and expressive wine, supported by a long, intensely fruity finish.
