Domaine Etienne Sauzet

Gerard Boudot, son-in-law of the late Etienne Sauzet, is one of the star winemakers of this appellation, now supported by his daughter Emilie and her husband, Benoit Riffault. This small, 8 hectare, bio-dynamically farmed domaine, produces wines of great definition and style and are highly sought after. The wines are left on their lees for 10 months with 20% new oak for Puligny Village. Farmed organically since 2006, the family subsequently moved to bio-dynamic status in 2010. The 1er Crus receive between 20% and 33% new oak. They are some of the most sought after wines in the Puligny appellation and are famed for their elegance and intensity.

Very fresh on the nose, a pale and yet limpid colour. The palate has that lovely Puligny 'savoury sourness', a combination of intense minerality, reduced new oak and citrus from ripe Chardonnay. The palate is decadent yet tightly structured with piercingly high acidity balanced with layers of meringue, cereal, hay and dessert apple. The citric quality is very high, almost taut - the finish is long and lingering. Beautiful.

Try with Risotto with asparagus and St George's mushrooms.

Hand-picked, fermented in tank then transferred into 10% new oak, with the remaining barrels 1-5 years old. Benoit is surprised by the freshness, bearing in mind the July and August heat, but he puts this down to older vines and the existence of water retaining clay soils and underground springs.