Domaine Gachot Monot St Aubin Blanc 2017

Description

Domaine Gachot Monot St Aubin Blanc 2017 is a Côte-de-Beaune white Burgundy from Saint Aubin. The St Aubin appellation is a favourite amongst Burgundy devotés as it is a source of good value, principally because it is not as well-known as neighbouring appellations Puligny-Montratchet and Chassagne-Montrachet. This wine smells divine – orange blossom & tangerine – and is a very elegant style of white Chardonnay.

Great value Burgundy wines can be quite difficult to source especially after a number of tricky vintages which tend to inflate prices further. From time to time I scour cellars for slightly older vintages still drinking well that have managed to avoid these vintage-related price increases and that is how I found this Domaine Gachot Monot Saint Aubin Blanc 2017. Aside from the fact that is is not as well-known as Puligny- and Chassagne-Montrachet, its vineyards are also at higher elevations. This means that with climate change St Aubin can produce wines where in hot vintages the rich fruits are balanced with crisp acidity, like this one from family-owned Domaine Gachot Monot, now managed by fifth generation wine-makers Damien and Liselotte Gachot.

The 2017 vintage was not the hottest in St Aubin and so rich fruit flavours are replaced by pure finesse in this light gold-coloured wine. I have classified it as aromatic white because of the beautiful aromas of tangerine and orange blossom; there is a vague hint of struck match but the fruit is king. I would recommend opening the wine half an hour before you intend to drink it to open up the flavours and it may also require a swirl of the glass to coax out the lovely elegant crisp stone fruit flavours and the hint of spice on the palate. This is a really elegant white Burgundy.