Domaine Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes 2022

Wines from this tiny 2.13-hectare site are rarely seen, but it is nonetheless one of Chassagne’s finest vineyards. The quality makes sense when you look at the location between La Romanée and Les Caillerets and on roughly the same line as Le Montrachet. It sits about 260 metres above sea level with a southeast aspect and marly, limestone-rich soils. Ramonet works over half of this vineyard (although he drops the Grandes part of the name from his label). Pillot farms a 0.26-hectare parcel at the very top of the hill, where the topsoil is extremely thin. With so few growers, it is unsurprising that this vineyard isn’t well-known, yet the wine is always outstanding. This is already very open and expressive, yet with a twist of smoky reduction. There’s great finesse and purity, bright stone-fruit and pithy characters and a long, savoury close. Another superb example from this rare terroir.