Chevalier Montrachet grand cru Domaine Ballot Millot et Fils 2020, 75 cl.

Vinification / aging

At the end of autumn, the white wines are racked and assembled in stainless steel vats: they thus regain all their expression and all their amplitude before being bottled at the beginning of the following year, after a light filtration which gives them ensures freshness and shine. The date of bottling is always chosen according to the moon.

History

It all began in 1630, when Charles Ballot's maternal family acquired their first vines. It was at the beginning of the 18th century that Le Domaine proper saw the light of day. More or less fragmented by inheritance from each generation, it has been generally preserved for more than two hundred years and grown from the vines of Charles's paternal grandmother and more recently from those of his cousins.

After a year spent in the vineyards of New Zealand and California, Charles returned to Burgundy in 2000, rich in his overseas experience. His father Philippe then left him the reins of the family business with confidence and serenity.

The Domaine produces 60,000 bottles per year in some twenty of the most prestigious appellations of the Côte de Beaune. It covers more than ten hectares: 8 hectares of whites planted with Chardonnay grapes in the municipalities of Meursault and Chassagne Montrachet, 2 hectares of pinot noir in Pommard, Volnay and Beaune, to which must be added half a hectare of aligoté. The average age of the vines is 45 years.

Respectful of his exceptional heritage and keen to preserve the environment, Charles Ballot, who is certain to switch to organic farming in the near future, combines traditional family methods with modern viticulture and winemaking techniques. The vines are plowed, chemical weeding is prohibited, and treatments are sparse. Do not abuse the soil, do not stress the vines, listen to it, these are its constant precepts. Each new year is a questioning, a permanent adaptation to specific climatic conditions. It is this versatility of nature that sweeps away the routine and makes the profession of winegrower fascinating. It forces the winegrower to draw inspiration from his artistic soul ...