Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet is the smallest of the five Grands Crus on the hill of Montrachet, little more than a hectare and a half, and the only one that belongs entirely to Chassagne-Montrachet. It lies at the southern end of the group, at the foot of the slope, on a small, gentle, south-facing incline at about 240 meters. A small lane divides it from Bâtard-Montrachet, to the northeast, while to the west and east it borders the Premiers Crus Blanchot Dessus and Vide Bourse.

The subsoil is slabby limestone of the Middle Jurassic, covered by a thin layer of clayey colluvium full of limestone stones. The name comes from this stoniness: “criots,” like “cras” and “crais,” denotes stony ground in Burgundy and goes back to a Celtic root linked to rock. For a long time its wines were lumped together with those of Bâtard, and Courtépée, in 1775, does not mention them separately. The Bâtard-Montrachet appellation dates from 1937, but the final delimitation and the recognition of Criots as a distinct Grand Cru came with the decree of June 13, 1939.

The wine, golden yellow, combines finesse and elegance with a liveliness that the appellation rules attribute precisely to the stony soils: hazelnut, honey, and floral notes, a very long finish, and good staying power over the years. The available bottles, when there are any, appear further down.