Puligny's forgotten family

Few villages in the Cote d'Or are as famous as Pulingy-Montrachet, home to some of the world's most acclaimed vineyards. Surprisingly, only a small number of the wines bearing the name of the appellation are actually made by vignerons located in the village. For centuries, producers throughout Burgundy have sought the vineyards and grapes from the area, enticing the locals to sell to the highest bidder. Despite this temptation, several families have kept their land and established domaines. The names Sauzet, Carillon and Leflaive have become synonymous with Puligny, but one local clan has remained under the radar. The Chavy family has had roots in Puligny for almost 200 years. In 1976, after years of selling their grapes to negociants, they began to bottle under their own label. Domaine Chavy et Fils soon established itself as one of the finest in the village. However, in 2003, after a family dispute, the estate was dissolved. The brothers Jean-Louis and Alain Chavy, who had jointly run the domaine, went their seperate ways determined to build their own legacy.

Alain Chavy

Chavy-Martin, the offical title of Alain's estate, has the distinction of possessing the deepest cellar in Puligny. Only a handful of domaines in the village are fortunate enough to possess underground facilities due to the high water tabel. The barrels resting in Chavy's beautiful, arched cavern contain a terrific array of the finest premier cru vineyards found in the appellation. In addition to land in the prestigious plots Les Folatieres, Le Champ Gain and Les Pucelles, the domaine owns a precious parcel in Le Clavoillon. Les Pucelles and Le Cavoillon sit adjoined on the slope, but Chavy-Martin is one of only two cellars in Burgundy where you can taste them side by side. Domaine Leflaive owns the vast majority of the 5.59 hectare Le Clavoillon, but the Chavy brothers each claim a small portion, preventing it from being a monopole. The following wines were tasted from barrel while visiting the estate on March 19th, 2008:

1- Bourgogne, blanc, 2006 - Sourced from two vineyards in Puligny, one near Meursault and one just south of Puligny. Very pure and focused. The wine shows good minerality and a long finish.

2- Meursault, 2006 - 15% new oak. The grapes come from the lieu-dit Les Phellans, which sits just below the 1er Cru Les Charmes Dessous on the the Puligny border. A very good wine with a nice balance of richness and minerality .

3-Puligny-Montrachet, 2006 - Very elegant and precise. Terrific quality for this level.

4- Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru, Le Champs Gain - More aromatic and mineral. The flavors are delicate, but the wine shows good length.

5- Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru, Le Clavoillon - Closed on the nose. Bigger, rounder wine in the mouth with excellent minerality. The deep soils found in Clavoillon are have left their imprint on this wine. Really good.

6- Puligny-Montrachet, 1er Cru, Les Folatieres - The most impressive wine on the nose. Full of white flowers and minerals. A beautiful wine that is a classic example of this stony vineyard.

7- Puligny-Montrachet, 2007 - Acidic and hard to taste at the moment.

Alain Chavy does not own land in any of the illustrious Grand Crus that stare down on his domaine, but he is able express the essence of Pulginy through some of its finest premier crus. His winemaking is hands off, and a low percentage of new oak allows the terroir to shine through in these pure, elegant wines. Domaine Chavy-Martin is the latest incarnation of one of Puligny's oldest families and its wines speak loudly of this origin.