# Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru (2015)

- **Producer:** Vincent Girardin
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** 100% Chardonnay
- **Region:** Burgundy, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €550
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, lemon, butter, vanilla, cloves, hazelnut, honey, dried fruits

## About this wine

The Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru from Vincent Girardin is a distinguished white Burgundy from the 2015 vintage. Produced from 100% Chardonnay, it hails from the esteemed Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru appellation, located within the communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet in Burgundy, France. The vineyard's unique soil, rich in clay, imparts a distinctive power and opulence to the wine. The 2015 vintage, characterized by warm conditions, allowed for optimal grape ripeness, contributing to the wine's complexity and aging potential. Vincent Girardin's winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, utilizing indigenous yeasts and extended aging on fine lees to preserve the purity of the terroir and create wines of significant depth.

## Interesting facts

- The Bâtard-Montrachet vineyard sits on a slope with a high clay content, contributing to the wine's richness.
- Grapes are harvested manually with sorting done directly in the vineyard.
- The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation with indigenous bacteria.
- Aging occurs in French oak barrels with only 15-20% new oak.

## Food pairing

The wine's full body, rich texture, and vibrant acidity are well-suited to complement rich, sophisticated dishes. Its complexity can stand up to powerful flavors, while its structure cuts through creamy sauces and fatty elements. Subtle oak notes can harmonize with dishes featuring butter or cream.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru begins with manual harvesting and vineyard sorting. The must undergoes slow extraction via a pneumatic press before being transferred to 228-liter French oak barrels for fermentation, utilizing indigenous yeasts and bacteria for both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged for 18 months on its fine lees in these barrels, with a low percentage of new oak (15-20%), without bâtonnage. Prior to bottling, the wine is blended in stainless steel, lightly fined, and filtered, then bottled according to the lunar calendar.