La Garenne

La Garenne sits in the upper reaches of Puligny-Montrachet, near the hamlet of Blagny and the border with Meursault. At 365 to 400 meters elevation, it ranks among the highest Premier Cru sites in the entire appellation. The vineyard is also known under the alternate name Sur la Garenne. Its elevated position and southerly to southeast-facing aspect define the character of everything grown here.

• Borders Meursault at the upper edge of Puligny-Montrachet
• Adjacent to the Hameau de Blagny, shared with several Meursault and Blagny Premier Crus
• One of the highest-altitude Premier Cru sites in Puligny-Montrachet
• Also listed as Sur la Garenne on some producer labels

The soils at La Garenne are dominated by Bathonian limestone, a Middle Jurassic formation common throughout the Côte de Beaune. This is mixed with marl, chalk, gravel, and clay, producing a medium-density chalky profile with rockier components in places. The cooler microclimate at this elevation, combined with well-drained limestone soils, creates ideal conditions for precise, mineral-focused Chardonnay. The chalky soil is a direct contributor to the vineyard's signature tight minerality.

• Bathonian limestone base shared with many top Côte de Beaune whites
• Chalky, rocky components distinguish La Garenne from lower-elevation Puligny sites
• Cool continental microclimate at elevation reinforces acidity and freshness
• Well-drained soils concentrate flavors and maintain vine stress

Chardonnay is the primary variety planted at La Garenne, producing white wine classified as Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru. Pinot Noir is also grown, but any red wine produced from this vineyard is sold under the Blagny Premier Cru appellation rather than Puligny-Montrachet. This dual-appellation arrangement is a quirk of the Blagny lieu-dit system, where red wines from several upper Puligny and lower Meursault sites carry the Blagny name.

• Chardonnay produces white wine labeled Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru La Garenne
• Pinot Noir red wine is sold as Blagny Premier Cru
• The Blagny appellation covers red wines from this elevated zone shared between Puligny and Meursault
• White wine production dominates the vineyard

The name La Garenne traces back to the medieval Latin word 'Warenna,' referring to an enclosed area of woods used for hunting. The vineyard historically belonged to the Maizières Abbey, one of several ecclesiastical landowners who shaped Burgundy's viticultural map before the French Revolution. Today the site is worked by a range of negociants and domaines, with notable representation from both large Beaune-based houses and smaller family estates.

• Name derives from 'Warenna,' medieval Latin for enclosed hunting woods
• Formerly owned by Maizières Abbey before the Revolution redistributed Church holdings
• Shared history with the Blagny hamlet, itself one of Burgundy's smallest wine-producing communities

La Garenne Chardonnay is consistently described as mineral-driven and austere, with a chalky texture that sets it apart from the richer, more opulent style of lower-elevation Puligny Premier Crus. Citrus and white fruit flavors are underpinned by fine, persistent acidity. The wines tend to be tighter and more restrained in youth than sites like Les Pucelles or Clavoillon, and benefit from several years of bottle age to fully integrate. The combination of elevation, limestone soils, and cool microclimate makes La Garenne one of the more distinctive terroirs in the appellation.

• Tight minerality and chalky texture are the defining characteristics
• Citrus, white pear, and green apple flavors with fine acidity
• More austere and linear than many lower-elevation Puligny Premier Crus
• Rewards patience; benefits from 5 or more years of cellaring