Sous le Puits

Sous le Puits sits near the top of the Blagny hill in the commune of Puligny-Montrachet, below the Bois de Trézin woodland. At 350-400 meters above sea level, it ranks among the highest-elevation Premier Crus in the appellation. The vineyard faces south-east, capturing early morning sun while benefiting from the cooler temperatures that come with altitude. Much of the broader Blagny vineyard area was converted from scrubland during the mid-20th century, giving Sous le Puits a relatively recent viticultural history compared to the ancient plots lower on the slope.

• Elevation of 350-400 meters, among the highest Premier Crus in Puligny-Montrachet
• South-easterly exposure; benefits from morning sun and cool afternoon conditions
• Located directly below the Bois de Trézin forest at the top of the Blagny hill
• Parts of the Blagny area were converted from scrubland in the mid-20th century

The soils at Sous le Puits are characteristically stony, comprising clay and limestone with limestone scree and rocky debris sitting over an Oxfordian limestone subsoil of white marl and marly limestone. This thin, well-drained, rocky profile forces vines to root deeply, concentrating flavors and reinforcing the mineral character for which the vineyard is known. The continental climate of the Côte de Beaune is tempered here by altitude, producing reliably cool nights that preserve acidity and allow for slow, even ripening. In warmer vintages, this elevated microclimate is a distinct advantage, maintaining freshness that lower-lying sites can struggle to retain.

• Stony limestone scree over Oxfordian white marl and marly limestone subsoil
• Thin, well-drained soils intensify mineral character in the wines
• Cool nights at elevation preserve acidity and extend the ripening window
• Altitude provides a thermal buffer in warmer vintages

Sous le Puits produces both white and red wines, though white Chardonnay dominates and defines the vineyard's reputation. White wines are sold as Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru and show a distinctive cool-climate personality: crisp acidity, citrus and floral aromas, and a flinty, mineral finish that reflects the stony limestone soils. Red wines from Pinot Noir grown within the climat are classified under the Blagny Premier Cru appellation rather than Puligny-Montrachet, following the appellation rules that apply to the Blagny area. This dual-classification system is a distinctive feature of the Blagny hill vineyards and is worth understanding for examination purposes.

• Whites: Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru, made from Chardonnay
• Reds: Blagny Premier Cru Sous le Puits, made from Pinot Noir
• White style is crisp and mineral-driven with citrus, floral, and flinty notes
• The dual classification (Puligny for whites, Blagny for reds) is unique to this hill

The name Sous le Puits translates to 'below the well,' referencing a 12th-century well (puits in French) that is believed to have supplied water to the small Blagny hamlet sitting above. The alternate spelling 'Sous les Puits' appears in some sources and refers to the same vineyard. While winemaking in Puligny-Montrachet stretches back centuries, the Blagny hillside plots including Sous le Puits were largely scrubland until the mid-20th century, when growers began converting them to vine cultivation. This history explains the vineyard's position in the broader appellation hierarchy and its somewhat different character compared to the more celebrated Premier Crus lower on the slope.

A mix of large négociants and smaller domaines cultivate plots in Sous le Puits. Louis Latour and Bouchard Ainé and Fils represent the major négociant presence, while Domaine Larue, Jean-Claude Bachelet and Fils, Domaine d'Ardhuy, Ropiteau Frères, and Gilles Bouton et Fils offer domaine-bottled expressions. The smaller domaines tend to produce limited quantities from their individual parcels, providing a more site-specific view of the vineyard's character. Wines from Sous le Puits are generally more accessible in price than Premier Crus from the lower, more famous slopes of Puligny-Montrachet, making them an interesting entry point to the appellation.