Joseph Colin Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chateniere Blanc 2021

La Chatenière is widely regarded as the finest premier cru in Saint-Aubin — and the wine that, more than any other in the Joseph Colin range, makes the case for this often-overlooked village's true pedigree. It is THE fabulous Premier Cru of Saint-Aubin, comparable to the best terroirs of Puligny in the 19th century. The famous cru honours its calcareous soil rich in iron oxides, which gives the wine an intense minerality and a vibration that delivers an exceptional bounce on the palate. La Chatenière overlooks the Joseph Colin cellars themselves, above the hamlet of Gamay — the slope here is steep and highly draining, with thin soil rich in iron oxides that quickly gives way to limestone bedrock, into which roots of around fifty years dig deep, finding freshness and nutrients. Joseph's parcel sits toward the bottom of the slope, relatively late-ripening and traditionally harvested at least a week after En Remilly, since sunshine hours here are lower — this terroir clearly gives its best in sunny, warm vintages. 

Joseph Colin has the good fortune to work a parcel of old vines, over 70 years old, on this excellent premier cru of Saint-Aubin, which gives wines that are both generous and intensely mineral — the balance between creamy roundness of fruit and saline tension is remarkable. The 2019 has turned out very well, exhibiting notes of white flowers, crisp orchard fruit, fresh apricot and toasted almonds — medium to full-bodied, concentrated and chiselled, chalky and incisive, concluding with a long, mineral finish. Fresh and crisp, this true condensation of Saint-Aubin's terroirs never stops gaining complexity — purity of water, floral refinement, the juicy brightness of lime and white fruits, and a stony, saline expression of the soil: everything rings true.