Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Les Caillerets’ 2017

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Grape variety : Chardonnay

Colour : White

Surface area : 0.66 ha

Exposure : South-east

Soil : Clay and limestone

Vine age : 70 years old

On a steep slope, on a hillside, planted in poor soil, the vine has no other choice than to produce little but to do it well: enduring the dry summers thanks to its deep roots, its work consists of concentrating the best of the terroir (limestone bedrock near the roots and abundant sunshine) in its golden grapes.

About Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils

With a history that goes back to 1920, the Amiot family has been rooted locally in the Chassagne-Montrachet terroir for generations. The founders, Flavie and Arsène, introduced a winegrowing tradition which was passed down to their son Pierre, then to their grandson Guy and today to the 4th generation represented by the great grandsons, Thierry (1969), Fabrice (1973), and the 5th generation embodied by Thierry’s daughter, Héloïse (1995).

In the Vineyard

The vineyard philosophy is simple, taking a common-sense practical approach keeping the harm of the environment to a minimum.

In the Winery

Without turning their backs on the beneficial contributions of science (analytical monitoring of the wines) and modern equipment (use of inert gas at bottling, thermo-control of the storage areas), Amiot’s methods of vinification in oak barrels remain traditional. The duration of maturation in barrels and vats extends to 20 months for the whites and 24 months for the reds to develop their aromatic structure.

The 2017 Vintage at Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils

Fabrice Amiot noted that 2017 was “initially a scary vintage for us as it looked as though we might suffer the same terrible April 2016 frost damage that cost us 70% in total losses. But in an amazingly well-coordinated effort, all the vignerons in the area banded together to burn wet hay to create a smoke screen that helped to avoid any material frost losses. After that the growing season was largely stress-free. We chose to begin picking on the 7th of September and brought in clean and ripe fruit that had good levels of potential alcohols and acidities. Moreover, yields were very good without being high so this helped considerably in filling in the deficit created by the losses in 2016. As to the wines, I find them to be notably more expressive than usual as well as highly aromatic while offering excellent tension and terroir transparency. I think that they should drink well young as there is a tenderness to them and this is true for both reds and whites.” My sense of the quality of the Amiot 2017 whites is that it is consistent with what I generally found elsewhere.

Burghound

Where in the World is Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils?

Domaine Guy Amiot is homed in the heart of Chassagne with holdings in Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet and St-Aubin.