Domaine d'Auvenay, Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 1998

Domaine d'Auvenay, the personal estate of Lalou Bize-Leroy, is run from the plateau above Saint-Romain: just under 4 ha split across 16 appellations, from Bourgogne Aligoté and Auxey-Duresses Blanc to five grands crus, all farmed biodynamically with early de-budding for tiny yields. Whites are the core: Chevalier-Montrachet (0.163 ha), which Vinous found razor-sharp and saline in mature vintages; minuscule Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet (0.064 ha); Bâtard-Montrachet; Puligny Folatières and Enseignères; and Meursault Les Narvaux, tense and waxy, able to age for decades. The reds are Bonnes-Mares and Mazis-Chambertin, about 0.26 ha each, made without destemming. Wines are raised in new François Frères oak, and many cuvées amount to only a few cases.

Region

Burgundy – Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits (based above Saint-Romain)

Owner

Lalou Bize-Leroy

Vineyards

Just under 4 ha in 16 appellations; Chevalier-Montrachet 0.163 ha, Criots-Bâtard 0.064 ha, Bonnes-Mares 0.26 ha, Mazis-Chambertin 0.26 ha, Folatières 0.51 ha

Grapes

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Aligoté

Wines

Chevalier-Montrachet; Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet; Bâtard-Montrachet; Bonnes-Mares; Mazis-Chambertin; Meursault Les Narvaux; Puligny-Montrachet Folatières; Auxey-Duresses; Bourgogne Aligoté

Style

Biodynamic, tiny-yield whites of mineral tension; non-destemmed reds; new oak élevage

Sources: billing.vinous.com, winewithseth.com, enprimeurclub.com, Wikipedia