Joseph Colin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne 2021

La Garenne is one of the highest and coolest premier crus in Puligny-Montrachet — and Joseph Colin's parcel sits in a particularly singular position within it. 100% Chardonnay from a parcel directly under Le Trézin — 70-plus-year-old vines at 450 metres altitude, south-facing on a very windy and cold site, with white clay and limestone soils. Fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in barrel, 25% new. Situated just above Champgains on marl and limestone soils, the vineyard benefits from an ideal south-easterly exposure — though Joseph's particular parcel, higher and more exposed than most, pushes that classic La Garenne profile toward something leaner and more electric. Joseph is the son of Marc Colin and younger brother of Pierre-Yves Colin — having started working alongside his father from a young age, he knows the rocks and vines in this white Burgundy mecca like few others, with a hands-off approach in the cellar that lets the terroir do the talking. 

This 1er Cru is distinguished by its perfect balance between richness and freshness, made with minimal winemaking and almost no added sulphur, allowing the wine to express itself in its purest form — a wine of great finesse and balance that perfectly reflects the Burgundian terroir. Expect the altitude and exposure to show clearly in the glass: a cooler, more vertical style than the riper La Garenne expressions further down the slope — citrus peel, white flowers and a chalky, wind-swept minerality, with the Colin house electricity and verve running through to a long, saline finish.