Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrieres 2011

Domaine Etienne Sauzet is the reference address for Puligny-Montrachet — a family estate whose grand cru and premier cru holdings represent some of the finest white wine terroir in the world, and whose winemaking under Benoît Riffault is celebrated for its precision, clarity and terroir fidelity. Les Perrières is among the most mineral-driven and intellectually compelling of all the Puligny premier crus — a 0.7 hectare parcel on fine clay soils with small stones, which give the wine extraordinary relief, energy and a saline persistence that immediately distinguishes it from the richer, more opulent premier crus further down the slope. The vines span 0.48 hectares on compact limestone and clay, and the wine is raised in 33% new French oak barrels — a restrained use of wood that ensures the terroir character is never obscured, and that Les Perrières speaks in the language of stone rather than barrel.

The name itself tells you everything: this is a vineyard of rocks, and the wine tastes of them. Fresh almond, lemon confit with salt and vibrant energy on the nose — taut and incisive from the first moment. Restrained and lifted mineral aromas with smoke, apple core and white flowers give way to a palate of beautiful intensity and impressive laser-like focus and purity, opening up a substantial mid-palate before the mineral-edged acidity and phenolic grip bring everything precisely back into line. Uncommon purity and tension for a premier cru — a wine that the Revue du Vin de France awarded 97 points in its finest vintages. Give it five years minimum, and expect it to repay patience with one of the most compelling mineral expressions Puligny-Montrachet produces.