2023 Domaine Blain-Gagnard Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Cote de Beaune

Domaine Blain-Gagnard was formed in 1980 when Jean-Marc Blain married Claudine Gagnard, youngest daughter of Jacques and Marie-Josèphe Gagnard of Domaine Gagnard-Delagrange. The couple runs this venerable domaine with the help of their son Marc-Antonin. They now control 20.5 acres of vines in Chassagne-Montrachet, including holdings in three grands crus: Le Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. It’s easy to assume that Criots would have the same richness and weight as Bâtard, its next-door neighbor. In fact, Criots is the most delicate of the five Grand Crus in the vicinity. The wines are more about perfume and delicacy with fine structure and intense minerality, and is from vines planted between 1929 and 1979.