Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot
Domaine Marc Morey
2017
Burgundy
France
Domaine Marc Morey was founded just after the first world war by Fernand Morey. The first vineyard holdings comprised just a couple of hectares in Chassagne-Montrachet. Marc Morey took over in 1944 following his father's death, when he quickly expanded the property. He started to bottle directly at the Domaine, and Marc Morey et Fils rapidly became a well respected name in the village. Marc's daughter Marie-Josephine and her husband Bernard joined the family business in 1977. Today, Marc's grand-daughter, Sabine Mollard, is in charge of the estate and has been the winemaker since 2003.
Domaine Marc Morey's cellars are located directly under the century-old family home right in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet. Vinification is flexible according to the vintage, with the wines resting on their lees for on average 10 months for the whites and 15 months for the reds in a maximum of 30% new oak barrels. Sabine prefers that the wines' portrayal of terroir to be as expressive as possible.
Winemaking
The must began fermentation in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures and mid-fermentation it was then transferred into oak casks, 20% of which were new oak. Bâtonnage, or the stirring of the fine lees, took place until malolactic fermentation was complete, adding texture and complexity to the resulting wine. Having spent 10 months in barrel, the wine was then racked, fined and filtered, prior to being bottled.
PRESS AND REVIEWS
2017 Domaine Marc Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "En Virondot" (Pre-Arrival)
95 points Decanter
Set in an isolated position on the slope above the village, En Virondot is the highest Chassagne premier cru, at 350 metres. A Marc Morey exclusive, it's a remarkable site that comes into its own in hotter years. Pithy and taut, it's chiselled, sculpted, knife-edge stuff with stylish oak and impressive focus and persistence. (Tim Atkin) (10/2018)
93 points James Suckling
Two-hectare parcel and, apart from one tiny part, owned by the domaine. A quasi-monopole of sorts. Very floral and mineral nose with some fresh-herb notes, as well as plenty of yellow citrus fruit. The palate has a very elegant, focused and compressed feel. Quite taut for now, so give this time. Try from 2022. (1/2019)
92 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From the village's highest altitude premier cru comes the 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru En Virondot, a beautiful wine that wafts from the glass with scents of vine blossom, citrus oil, fresh pastry and blanched almonds. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and fine-boned, it's elegant and precise, with a pretty core of fruit, racy acids and a delicately perfumed finish. Morey owns almost 90% of this lieu-dit, and the other owner doesn't declare it, so this is a de facto monopole. (WK) (2/2020)
91 points Allen Meadows - Burghound
(from a whopping 2.02 ha parcel, which effectively means that the Domaine owns 89% of the appellation; because the other owner does not declare their wine as En Virondot, Mollard jokingly calls her version as a “commercial” monopole). A cooler and more restrained nose grudgingly offers up notes of green tea, green apple and soft spice wisps. There is excellent delineation to the punchier if less refined medium weight flavors that terminate in a youthfully austere finish that is notably less complex. Note that my rating offers the benefit of the doubt that this will gradually add depth as it evolves. (6/2019)