2017 Paul Pillot White Burgundy
2017 Paul Pillot White Burgundy
I'm so excited to finally be working with the legendary Paul Pillot, whose wines I have not been able to get my hands on the last couple years. If you don't know Paul Pillot is, don't worry. They are known amongst the in-crowd. Those people at tastings sniffing and giggling away in the corner like a couple of school girls. You can be one of them. Or you could have knowledge and hide it. Your choice, but the point is that you should get your hands on these. 2017 is a stellar year and the wines keep better and better.
Domaine Paul Pillot was founded in 1900 by Jean-Baptiste Pillot, a barrel maker by trade, who decided to focus full-time on his vines. His sons, Alphonse and Henri, succeeded him after the conclusion of World War I, increasing the Domaine’s holdings significantly and beginning to bottle their own wines. Henri’s son Paul then took over the Domaine in 1968, and acquiring the prestigious Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru vineyards of Clos Saint Jean, Les Grandes Ruchottes, Les Caillerets, and La Grande Montagne, and the Saint-Aubin 1er Cru of Les Charmois.
Today, the domaine owns 13 hectares of vines (4.5 in red) and is run by Paul’s dynamic son Thierry who began working in 1999, before taking over full time in 2004. Thierry is the 4th generation to take on the reins of this storied property. Under Thierry the focus has been put squarely in the vineyards, with a discreet use of new wood and a non-interventionist approach in the cellar. The result is wines of finesse and palate staining purity that perfectly reflect the finest terroirs of Chassagne-Montrachet.
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Burghound on 2017 Pillot: Thierry Pillot said that 2017 "began early and ended just as early. We began picking on the 27th of August under warm but largely dry conditions save for one storm. This enabled us to pick very quickly which suited me just fine as I was afraid that the acidities would fall and they were only average when we started. Yields were good in white though much lower in red with around 45 hl/ha for the villages and 40 hl/ha for the 1ers whereas the reds came in at only 30 hl/ha on average. Potential alcohols were respectable at between 12.4 and 13% with acceptable acidities so I'm happy that we started when we did. As I have been doing over the last few vintages I have been very prudent about the new wood percentages. While I used none at all in 2016, I used only 15% in 2017 and none at all for the Thierry Pillot wines. [See immediately below.] I find that the whites have picked up both flesh and complexity as they have aged in barrel. To me the 2017s are tender and should make for good early drinking yet I see no reason why they shouldn't age well too." I was impressed by what I found and Pillot has definitely been on a roll over the last few vintages
- Additional 10% off Mixed Case Discount
2017 Paul Pillot Bourgogne Blanc
Was $39.99
Newsletter Price: $36.99
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet
Was $79.99
Newsletter Price: $76.99
BH 87-90: A more pungent nose offers up notes of resin, rosemary oil, white flower and a hint of mandarin orange. The medium weight flavors possess a relatively refined mid-palate texture that contrasts somewhat with the slightly drying finish that I suspect will eventually round out.
2017 Paul Pillot Saint Aubin Les Pitangerets
Was $76.99
Newsletter Price: $69.99
BH 89-91: Notes of pear, apple and citrus nuances are trimmed in background wisps of matchstick and floral characters. The vibrant and well-detailed middle weight flavors possess both good minerality and salinity on the delicious finish where the only nit is a trace of warmth.
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint Jean
Was $119.99
Newsletter Price: $109.99
BH 90-92: Pungent aromas consist primarily of petrol, white orchard fruit, matchstick and a whiff of lychee. The medium weight flavors are much more mineral-inflected than those of the Champ Gains while offering both good richness and vibrancy while displaying a refreshing salinity on the balanced and agreeably dry finish. This should amply repay mid-term cellaring.
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets (Limited)
Was $159.99
Newsletter Price: $154.99
BH 91-93: Elegant aromas include those of white flowers, pear, mineral reduction and dried apricot. There is lovely sense of underlying tension suffusing both the medium weight flavors as well as the stony, rich, balanced and impressively persistent finish. This firm effort is really very good and worth checking out.
Was $39.99
Newsletter Price: $36.99
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet
Was $79.99
Newsletter Price: $76.99
BH 87-90: A more pungent nose offers up notes of resin, rosemary oil, white flower and a hint of mandarin orange. The medium weight flavors possess a relatively refined mid-palate texture that contrasts somewhat with the slightly drying finish that I suspect will eventually round out.
2017 Paul Pillot Saint Aubin Les Pitangerets
Was $76.99
Newsletter Price: $69.99
BH 89-91: Notes of pear, apple and citrus nuances are trimmed in background wisps of matchstick and floral characters. The vibrant and well-detailed middle weight flavors possess both good minerality and salinity on the delicious finish where the only nit is a trace of warmth.
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint Jean
Was $119.99
Newsletter Price: $109.99
BH 90-92: Pungent aromas consist primarily of petrol, white orchard fruit, matchstick and a whiff of lychee. The medium weight flavors are much more mineral-inflected than those of the Champ Gains while offering both good richness and vibrancy while displaying a refreshing salinity on the balanced and agreeably dry finish. This should amply repay mid-term cellaring.
2017 Paul Pillot Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets (Limited)
Was $159.99
Newsletter Price: $154.99
BH 91-93: Elegant aromas include those of white flowers, pear, mineral reduction and dried apricot. There is lovely sense of underlying tension suffusing both the medium weight flavors as well as the stony, rich, balanced and impressively persistent finish. This firm effort is really very good and worth checking out.