MEURSAULT 1ER CRU “CAILLERETS”

Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot

WINEMAKERS

Laurent Pillot

2020

93POINTS

Wine Advocate

JANUARY 2022

2018

92POINTS

Wine Advocate

JANUARY 2021

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BACKGROUND

Since the 19th Century, generations of the Pillot family have cultivated the hills of Chassagne-Montrachet on over 35 acres of land spread across 22 different appellations. The vineyards are mainly concentrated on Chassagne-Montrachet and Pommard terroirs, but also on the soils of Santeany, Saint-Aubin, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, Volnay, and Beaune. The father-and-son team of Fernand and Laurent focuses tirelessly on maintaining quality with their practices: low yields, minimal use of fertilizer and strict hygiene. All of their wines are vinified and matured in a modern winery but Laurent pays special attention to keep with traditional Burgundy practices: barrel fermentation for the whites, minimal stirring of the lees, and ageing the wines in French oak barrels from a variety of forests and coopers. The vineyards are worked “agrobiologie” with care taken to see that soils are cultivated without the use of chemical weed-killers. The family is also a member of the research group DEPHY-EcoPhyto since 2012, which aims to decrease the amount of pesticides used and to better agricultural techniques for an environmentally sound ecosystem.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

The vines grow on 3.46 acres spread across several parcels of clay and limestone soils with significant stoney limestone deposits, which are located at 700–800 feet above sea level. Grapes are hand-harvested and carried to the winery where they undergo alcoholic fermentation in oak barrels for a period of two months. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 11–12 months.

WINEMAKING

The grapes are harvested by hand. Once pressed, the grape juice is fermented in French oak barrels with a proportion of 50 percent new oak. Then the wine matures in this noble wood until the following summer. Thus, after several months of aging, the wine will improve and assert its personality.

AGING

Aged between 11 and 12 months.

TASTING NOTES

This wine evolves tenderly after 3 to 4 years of cellar. Its texture and its finely spiced aromas go well with fish, but also with white meats in sauce or with cream.