Jean-Marc Brocard : Chablis 1er cru "Butteaux" 2021

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Chablis 1er Cru "Butteaux" 2021 by Jean-Marc Brocard

Tasting

Appearance
This white wine displays a lovely straw-yellow colour, clear and brilliant.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet reveals scents of baked apple and candied citrus, harmoniously blended with hints of acacia honey and toast. The whole is elevated by a deep mineral and iodine signature, evoking flint and sea spray.

Palate
Energetic and refined, the palate offers generous volume supported by a supple, flowing texture. It unfolds flavours of crystalline lemon and honey, balanced by a lively, structuring acidity. The remarkably long finish lingers on superb saline notes.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs wonderfully with fine fish in creamy sauces, such as salmon or turbot, as well as with pan-seared scallops. It will also beautifully complement roast poultry with mushrooms or lightly aged pressed cheeses, such as a young Comté.

Serving and cellaring

To fully appreciate this Chablis 1er Cru "Butteaux" 2021, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 11 and 13°C. Although it is already very enjoyable in its youth, this wine has excellent ageing potential and can be cellared until around 2031 to reveal its full complexity.

The elegance and minerality of a great Chablis wine

The estate

Officially founded in 1974 in Préhy, in the heart of Burgundy, the Jean-Marc Brocard estate is a true benchmark in Chablis. Born of Jean-Marc Brocard's passion, this family vineyard now covers 144 hectares. Strongly committed to environmental stewardship, the estate stands out for having the majority of its land certified organic and biodynamic. Today, Julien Brocard, the founder's son, is the owner and managing director, carrying on this minimal-intervention philosophy and bringing the estate's wines to the finest tables around the world.

The vineyard

This Chablis comes from the Butteaux climat, a prestigious subsection of the Montmains premier cru located on the left bank of the Serein. Set at the top of a hill, this terroir benefits from excellent ventilation and an ideal south- and east-facing exposure. The vines, farmed organically using gentle methods such as braiding, thrive on shallow Kimmeridgian marl soils. These soils are covered with white and blue clays scattered with large stones, ensuring optimal drainage and giving the wine its characteristic mineral tension.

Winemaking and ageing

The production of the Chablis 1er Cru "Butteaux" 2021 is based on a gravity-fed approach, ruling out any pumping in order to preserve the purity of the juice. After careful monitoring of the fermentations, including malolactic fermentation, the wine undergoes extended ageing on fine lees. This cuvée is aged entirely in large neutral oak foudres, a choice that refines the wine's texture while preserving the brightness of its fruit and the authenticity of its terroir.

Grape variety

Chardonnay