2023 Etienne Sauzet, Puligny-Montrachet - Liberty

Domaine Etienne Sauzet is arguably one of Puligny Montrachet’s finest estates. Established in the 1920s, the domaine is run by the fourth generation of the Sauzet family, Emilie (the great-great-granddaughter of Etienne) and her winemaker husband Benoît Riffault, a native of Sancerre. Together they own 10 hectares in Puligny-Montrachet and have recently acquired five hectares in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune around the villages of Orches and Nolay, just beyond Saint-Romain and Saint-Aubin. Domaine Etienne Sauzet also purchases grapes from other family members and trusted growers. The estate has been practising biodynamic viticulture since 2009 and has recently reduced their use of new oak to allow the elegance of their fruit to shine through.

Benoît’s immaculate winemaking approach is evident in the wines of Domaine Etienne Sauzet, which are all defined by minerality, precision and exceptional length. The Aligoté is fermented and aged for 18 months in amphora-esque ‘grès’ sandstone vats and demonstrates why this historically overlooked variety deserves attention. The Bourgogne ‘La Tuféra’ punches well above its classification and is sourced from four parcels in Puligny-Montrachet with an average vine age of 50 years old. The resulting wine displays bright fruit intensity, aromas of white flowers and lovely acidity. The fruit for the Hautes Côtes de Beaune ‘Jardin du Calvaire’, a wine exclusive to Liberty Wines, comes from a vineyard planted at an elevation of 450 metres at the end of a steep path called ‘la route du Calvaire’ (‘the Calvary route’, an indication of its steepness). The resulting wine is defined by an elegant and refined style, with great tension and length on the palate.

The Etienne Sauzet Pulignys are a masterclass in elegance and complexity, all demonstrating the signature lemony aromatics, marked minerality and linear acidity of this famed village. Volumes are limited – please speak to your account manager regarding allocations.

Etienne Sauzet is known for making some of the most exciting white Burgundy wines to date. All of the grapes for this wine are chardonnay, sourced from 12 different parcels of vines with over 7 various climats, spread over approximately three and a half hectares, around the village of Puligny. The domaine practises sustainable viticulture and all processes, from de-budding to harvest, are carried out by hand. The vines are Guyot trained and have an average age of 45 years old.

The 2023 vintage in Burgundy was plentiful, with yields some of the largest in the last seven years. The two key challenges were: keeping yields in check, which was achieved by vigorous green harvesting; and preserving acidity during an intense harvest – condensed into a shorter picking window for the whites, due to heat spikes at the end of August. The growing season began with a warm and dry winter, followed by a relatively rainy March. Budbreak was slightly delayed until early April which meant the Côte d’Or escaped frost. The spring months were sunny but relatively cool, providing perfect conditions for even flowering. This, together with sunny conditions and regular showers during the summer, meant that the vines flourished. Temperatures were cooler than usual in July and early August, and the grapes underwent a perfectly paced slow ripening. A spike in temperatures at the end of August accelerated the ripening and harvest began in early September.

The grapes were hand harvested and subject to careful sorting both in the vineyard and the winery. Subsequently, the grapes were gently whole bunch pressed in a pneumatic press to keep as much of the aromatics and rich fruit flavours as possible. Temperature controlled fermentation took place in older barrels under constant supervision. The wine was then aged in oak barrels, of which 15% was new oak and the remaining barrels two to three years old, for a 12 to 15-month period. Further ageing occurred for three months in stainless-steel tanks before the wine was racked off the fine lees and bottled in the estate.

On the nose, aromatic and advanced. The wine exhibits more mineralistic qualities than Chassagne. Notes of lemon meringue, grapefruit, bananna and cream which fills out on the palate, combined with a bouquet of wet earth and an unmistakable salty lime finish.