2017 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne Macherelles

Jean-Marc Pillot noted that 2017 was `indisputably less complicated to manage than was 2016 but we still worked our asses off at the beginning of the season as there was both mildew and frost risks to deal with. The vineyards were so wet that we made two treatments with back-mounted atomizers, which I can guarantee is hard work, especially in vineyards with an appreciable slope. Happily neither risk turned out to be serious but that doesn`t mean you can just ignore them. After that though it was really pretty easy as conditions were clement without too much, or too little, of anything. I chose to begin picking on the 3rd of September and brought in very clean and nice ripe fruit where the potential alcohols ranged from 12 to 13.2% and I chaptalized nothing. Yields were good as they averaged around 40 hl/ha in red and 50 hl/ha in white. Acidities were only average yet one of the biggest surprises about the 2017 whites is just how vibrant they are; in fact from purely a palate impression standpoint, it would be hard to guess that the acidities aren`t higher. For me and speaking only about my wines, the 2017s are classic white burgundies with good salinity and transparency.` I second Pillot`s view of his whites as they are indeed classically styled and several of them are quite good. A cool, pure and pretty combination consists of notes of citrus-inflected apple, pear, spice and a touch of wood influence. The racy and solidly voluminous flavors possess a lovely mid-palate texture that carries over to the lingering finish that also reflects ample citrus character. 90-92 points