Country: France Region: Burgundy Varietal: Chardonnay Vintage: 2018  Colour: White Style: Dry Producer:  Fernand & Laurent Pillot Laurent Pillot, who took over the running of Domaine Pillot in his mid-twenties, transformed his family estate from grape growers to a leading estate and one of the superstars of Chassagne-Montrachet. With a superb collection of vineyards and a modern winemaking facility on the edge of the village, both their red and white wines are of an excellent quality. From the exotic fruit driven Meursault through to the round, sultry Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge the underlying minerality shines through. Viticulture The soil is very stony, mixed with shallow red earth. Sometimes the limestone base rock breaks into the soil profile. This results in a very hot micro climate in summer near the grape bunches, due to the reflected sunlight from the white stones. The soil also contains iron ore. Winemaking The hand harvested grapes arrive at the winery where they are very gently pressed and the free run juice put into oak for fermentation. Around a quarter of this oak is new and post fermentation the wine is aged for a further 11 months in barrel before release. Tasting Note This sensational St Aubin is beautifully balanced, delivering a poised and rounded palate with crunchy fruit and lively core acidity. It is clean with the pure fruit character of lemon and stone fruit shining through and on the finish a hint of spice. This is a serious wine with no shortage of minerality and will evolve and improve for a few years to come. Food Matching Fabulous with freshwater fish and scallops