Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Blanchot Dessus

Blanchot Dessus sits within the commune of Chassagne-Montrachet on the Côte de Beaune, positioned directly adjacent to two of Burgundy's most celebrated vineyards: the Montrachet Grand Cru and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. Its south-facing slope captures generous sunlight, a critical advantage in this continental climate where ripening can be marginal in cooler vintages. At just 1.17 hectares, it is among the most compact premier cru sites in Chassagne-Montrachet, meaning that bottles from here are produced in genuinely small quantities.

• Borders Montrachet Grand Cru and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet
• South-facing aspect maximizes sun exposure in a continental climate
• Located within the commune of Chassagne-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune

The vineyard's soils combine a pebbly, gravelly surface layer with oolitic limestone and calcaire marnes beneath. This limestone-dominant profile is a defining characteristic of the finest white wine sites along the Côte de Beaune, providing excellent drainage and a mineral backbone that expresses itself directly in the wine. The oolitic limestone shares geological kinship with the grand cru vineyards immediately above and alongside Blanchot Dessus, which helps explain the ambition that surrounded its grand cru candidacy in the 1930s.

• Pebbly, gravelly topsoil over oolitic limestone
• Calcaire marnes contribute mineral intensity and structure
• Geology closely related to neighboring grand cru sites

Blanchot Dessus carries a history that reaches back well before its formal classification. The site was historically considered part of Montrachet itself, only separating from that grand cru vineyard sometime between 1861 and 1892. In 1937, the Louis Ferré commission proposed elevating the site to grand cru status under the name Blanchots-Bâtard-Montrachet, a proposal that would have placed it alongside Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. The CNAO did not retain this proposal, and Blanchot Dessus was ultimately classified as premier cru on December 1, 1977.

• Historically part of Montrachet Grand Cru until the late nineteenth century
• Proposed as grand cru under 'Blanchots-Bâtard-Montrachet' in 1937 by the Louis Ferré commission
• Proposal rejected by the CNAO; premier cru classification granted December 1, 1977
• Alternate names include Blanchot-Dessus and Les Blanchots Dessus

White wine is the dominant style from Blanchot Dessus, with Chardonnay producing the site's most compelling expressions. The wines are characterized by mineral precision and citrus-forward fruit, reflecting the limestone soils and south-facing exposure. Given the vineyard's tiny footprint, only a handful of producers hold parcels here. Bruno Colin, Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils, Domaine Morey-Coffinet, and Jean-Noel Gagnard are the key names to seek out. These are wines that reward comparison with the grand cru neighbors, offering a window into what makes this corner of Chassagne-Montrachet historically significant.

• Bruno Colin produces a precise, mineral-driven expression from the site
• Domaine Morey-Coffinet and Jean-Noel Gagnard are established names from this vineyard
• Production volumes are very small due to the 1.17-hectare total area
• Chardonnay dominates, though Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir are also permitted