Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers

• Total  Size: 9.40 ha (23.25 acres)
• Winery Holdings: Purchased fruit – area (hectares) varies
• The Les Vergers vineyard is mostly easterly-facing and composed of three climats: Les Vergers, Les Pasquelles and Peringeret. Producing a wine that develops with age, Les Vergers is flatter than the upslope vineyard and the soil is lighter than in the vineyards downslope; it is situated just under 853 feet in elevation.  Both red and white grapes are allowed.
• Verger is from Latin Virid [I] Arium which is land planted with fruit trees. This was an ancient fruit orchard.

Bernard Moreau:

• Slate, very rocky soil and lots of limestone.
• Vergers is often the vineyard with the highest acidity and lowest ph.
• Wines can be very austere in cold vintages and very balanced in warmer vintages.
• Characteristics of the vineyard in the wine are very consistent vintage to vintage.

• The 1er Cru Chardonnays are barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels (10%-30% new).
• The wine spends between 12 and 18 months in wood with regular lees stirring for added texture.
• Says Bernard, “The spirit of our winemaking is to not touch the wine too often. For Chardonnay our aim is to produce very clean and precise wines which are not too austere. We like the minerality and purity.”

• Made from Chardonnay grapes.
• Grown on soils of slate, rocky with limestone.
• Fermented in 10%-30% new French oak barrels, using naturally occurring yeast.
• Aged in 10%-30% new French oak barrels.
• Aged for 18 months.
• Bottled without fining and usually without filtration unless the wine is cloudy.