Pierre Girardin : Montrachet Grand cru 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Montrachet Grand Cru 2023 Pierre Girardin

Tasting

Colour
A luminous, pale green-gold hue, its appearance captivates with a beautiful brilliance.

Nose
The nose expresses aromas of white peach, honeysuckle and toasted almond, underscored by distinct mineral notes of flint.

Palate
The palate offers a concentrated, fresh attack. The mid-palate reveals a creamy texture supported by saline minerality and crisp acidity. The finish is persistent and precise.

Food and wine pairing

This white wine pairs perfectly with foie gras, shellfish such as lobster or langoustine, and firm-fleshed fish served with a cream sauce. It also pairs beautifully with subtly seasoned poultry.

Service and storage

For an optimal tasting experience, it is recommended to serve this Grand Cru at a temperature between 12 and 14°C, following a gentle decanting of 30 to 60 minutes. This wine, built for ageing, will develop its full complexity after several years in the cellar.

The mineral, precise expression of a white Burgundy wine

The estate

Founded in 2016 in Meursault, Domaine Pierre Girardin quickly established itself within its terroir. Representing the thirteenth generation of winemakers in his family, Pierre-Vincent Girardin, the current owner, started out with 4.5 hectares of vines inherited from his father. Now overseeing a vineyard of around 13 hectares, he cultivates his land according to the principles of organic farming and biodynamics, following the lunar calendar. His philosophy is based on minimal intervention in the cellar and a constant pursuit of the pure expression of terroir, giving rise to wines of great precision.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the Montrachet climat, located to the south of the Côte de Beaune. The vines flourish at an altitude of 250 to 270 metres, benefiting from an east and south exposure. The terroir rests on a Jurassic geological base, composed of hard limestone crossed by bands of reddish marl. The very shallow soils force the roots to dig deep, limiting the vigour of the plant in favour of grape concentration.

The vintage

The year 2023 was characterised by warm, dry conditions. Following a mild winter that encouraged early budburst, cool weather in April and May slowed vegetative growth. From late August onwards, an intense heatwave considerably accelerated berry ripening. The shallow soils helped limit vine vigour in the face of water stress, while the coolness of early summer preserved good acidity in the grapes right up until harvest.

Winemaking and ageing

The making of this 2023 vintage begins with gentle pneumatic pressing lasting around three hours. The juice then undergoes 36 hours of cold settling before fermentation is triggered by indigenous yeasts. Ageing takes place in custom-made 456-litre barrels, with 100% new oak used for this cuvée. The winemaker keeps intervention to a minimum, avoiding both lees stirring and topping up, in order to preserve the wine's aromatic purity.

Grape variety

Chardonnay (100%).