Domaine d'Auvenay : Bâtard-Montrachet Grand cru 2015

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for the 2015 Domaine d'Auvenay Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Tasting Notes

Appearance

The colour reveals a pale to golden yellow hue, adorned with emerald highlights.

Nose

The bouquet reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, combining ripe fruit notes (white peach, candied citrus), floral nuances (white flowers, linden blossom) and buttery touches. With aeration, aromas of toasted brioche, almond paste and orange blossom gradually emerge.

Palate

On the palate, this wine expresses exceptional richness and concentration. Aromas of ripe orchard fruit, honey and white truffle intertwine harmoniously, supported by a lively acidity that brings freshness and balance. The texture reveals a lovely density on the mid-palate, while the finish lingers with remarkable persistence on mineral and saline notes, the signature of Bâtard-Montrachet's limestone terroir.

Food and Wine Pairing

This great white Burgundy pairs beautifully with refined gastronomic dishes: pan-seared foie gras, lobster or langoustines in a buttery sauce, noble fish in cream sauce, farm-raised poultry with morels, or blue cheeses such as Roquefort. Dishes featuring white truffle also make an exceptional pairing.

Serving and Ageing

The 2015 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is best enjoyed at a temperature of between 12 and 14°C. Its structure and depth give it an ageing potential of two decades or more, allowing it to develop remarkable tertiary complexity over time.

An Exceptional Grand Cru White Burgundy from Lalou Bize-Leroy

The Estate

The Domaine d'Auvenay was founded in 1988 by Lalou Bize-Leroy, a legendary figure of Burgundian winemaking. Established in the hills of Saint-Romain in the Côte de Beaune, this 3.87-hectare estate spread across sixteen different appellations produces some of the most sought-after white wines in the world. A pioneer of biodynamics from the early 1990s, Lalou Bize-Leroy applies an uncompromising winemaking philosophy that favours extremely low yields and absolute respect for the terroir. She remains actively involved in running the estate alongside her daughter, Perrine Fenal. The exceptional rarity of production and the legendary quality of the wines place Domaine d'Auvenay at the very top of the Burgundy hierarchy, ranking just behind Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in auction sale rankings.

The Vineyard

Domaine d'Auvenay owns a tiny plot of around 0.10 hectares within the Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru appellation, acquired around 2012. This prestigious 11.22-hectare grand cru lies between the villages of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, on brown limestone soils rich in small stones, with clay content increasing towards the lower part of the slope. Situated at an altitude of between 240 and 250 metres, the vineyard benefits from an ideal east and south-east exposure. The soils rest on a Jurassic geological substrate dating back around 175 million years. The vineyard is farmed strictly according to biodynamic principles, with yields drastically limited to around ten hectolitres per hectare, roughly equivalent to two bunches per vine. This extreme restriction, achieved through severe pruning and meticulous bud thinning, aims to maximise the concentration of terroir expression in each berry.

The Vintage

The 2015 vintage in Burgundy was characterised by a mild winter followed by a spring free from damaging frost. The summer saw hot to scorching temperatures from mid-May to mid-August, with exceptional sunshine and periods of drought. Temperatures regularly exceeded 40°C in July, creating moderate water stress for some vines, although water reserves built up during the winter allowed mature vines to weather this period. Welcome rainfall in August partially relieved the water stress. The exceptional light of the summer, with clear, bright skies, proved particularly favourable. The harvest of white grapes began in late August, with golden, ripe grapes showing satisfactory sugar levels and relatively low acidity, particularly malic acid. The 2015 vintage produced powerful, generous white wines with remarkable concentration, though slightly less acidic and mineral than cooler years.

Winemaking and Ageing

The grapes for the 2015 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru were harvested at full ripeness, then meticulously sorted berry by berry. Vinification takes place naturally in oak barrels without temperature control, using exclusively the indigenous yeasts present on the grapes and in the cellar. The estate favours the use of new barrels, viewing oak ageing as an integral part of the wine's expression rather than a mere technical choice. Ageing lasts between eight and ten months in new barrels, during which malolactic fermentation occurs spontaneously, at its own pace. No filtration or fining is carried out, thereby preserving the full aromatic complexity and texture of the wine. This non-interventionist approach seeks to let the terroir express itself with the greatest possible authenticity.

Grape Variety

100% Chardonnay