Our November visit to Burgundy was a game-changer on so many levels, as we discovered several unbelievable finds at virtually every tier of the quality hierarchy, but nothing quite compared these truly stunning, old-vine gems from a Pouilly-Fuissé domaine that belongs on everyone's radar.
"A wine of real stature and distinction, the 2022 Les Birbettes is simply magnificent ... it's arguably the most compelling wine of our November trip to Burgundy."
- Andrew Kitz, B-21 Burgundy Buyer
Fabio Montrasi's Château des Rontets is one of the great hidden gems in the Mâcon, and since all of his vineyards are monopoles, the domaine's wines are undeniably distinctive in their terroir signatures. As Neal Martin of Vinous notes, "Despite not farming any Premier Cru, these wines are amongst the best in Mâconnais. All three of Montrasi's cuvées are worth seeking out." Why no premier cru, you might ask? A mere technicality, as the domaine sits just above the elevation line that defines the appellation's premiers crus. Nonetheless, these are some of the most impeccable sites in the region led by Les Birbettes, a one-hectare, hilltop parcel of 100-year-old vines on pure limestone that produces one of the most singular expressions in the entire Mâconnais. "The definition of a thoroughbred Chardonnay" as our Burgundy Buyer Andrew Kitz describes it, the 2022 Les Birbettes has the pedigree and substance to stand toe-to-toe with the elite of the Côte de Beaune, and rest assured, if it were from Puligny or Chassagne, you'd be looking at a price tag well into the triple digits.
"The most unique Chardonnay we discovered on our November trip to Burgundy ... this is just a singular expression any way you slice it." - Andrew Kitz, B-21 Burgundy Buyer
Offering a fascinating juxtaposition to the domaine's old-vine 2022 Les Birbettes, the 2022 Pierrefolle hails from another inimitable monopole site in winemaker Fabio Montrasi's stable. The slightly warmer micro-climate in this half-hectare parcel of 50-year-old vines is tempered by a feature almost unheard-of in Burgundy - granite soils. Yes, you read that correctly. This anomaly of a vineyard allows Montrasi to craft a Chardonnay expression unlike any you'll find in the region, as the vineyard's soils impart their unmistakeable imprint on the finished wine. Layers of latent complexity are wound tightly upon the firm structural foundation, resulting in that true "wine of place" character that all Burgundy aficionados covet. Indeed, as B-21 Burgundy Buyer Andrew Kitz puts it, "This wine is terroir in a nutshell." As with its stablemate, the 2022 Les Birbettes, the 2022 Château des Rontets Pierrefolle is a razor-sharp buy for savvy collectors seeking white Burgundies of purity and clarity that far outpace their price points.
Top Quality Store
