Domaine Patrick Miolane, Puligny-Montrachet 2022

Planted in 1962, the 60-year-old vines are rooted in silt soils on south-east facing slopes. After harvesting by hand, the grapes are sorted on a vibrating table to remove dry berries, leaf debris and stalks. They then pass to another sorting table for the removal of any grapes that are unripe, damaged or showing signs of rot. The grapes are lightly pressed to avoid the risk of oxidation. Fermentation is begun slowly and naturally, using native yeasts. Some of the resulting wine is aged in oak barrels, the remainder in vat, for 12 months. The barrel-aged and vat-aged components are then blended, prior to bottling, with the aim of achieving a good balance between the complexity and roundness of the one and the fresh acidity of the other.

The Miolane estate is an ancient family-run business which has been handed down through the generations. Patrick Miolane took control in 1983, at the age of twenty and now works with his daughter Barbara who joined the team in 2005. Father and daughter manage 9 hectares of vines, in the village of Saint-Aubin, but the estate also extends into the neighbouring communities of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. Patrick and Barbara make a perfect pair, each responsible for their own sphere of activity: Dad looks after the vineyard; Barbara is in charge of wine-making and marketing.