Batard Montrachet AOC, Burgundy: 10 Fine Wines, Prices (2024)

Batard Montrachet is an AOC and Grand Cru vineyard for Chardonnay white wine. 

The region is spread across the communes of Chassagne and Puligny Montrachet in Côte de Beaune, the southern part of Côte dOr, Burgundy. Its limestone terroir is well-suited to produce the juiciest and most complex Chardonnays with considerable aging potential.

Let’s explore the Batard Montrachet wine characteristics, the 10 best bottles to buy in 2024, their investment potential, and some quick serving tips. We will also cover the region’s winemaking regulations and other interesting facts.

A Quick Intro To Batard Montrachet

Batard Montrachet, the largest Grand Cru in Le Montrachet, is situated at the intersection of the Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet communes.

The AOC was created in 1937, and it derives its name from a medieval legend.The Lord of Puligny is said to have divided his land between his eldest son - Le Chevalier or the knight, his daughters - Les Pucelles or the maidens, and his illegitimate son - Le Bâtard or the bastard. 

Chevalier Montrachet, Bâtard Montrachet, and Les Pucelles became three vineyard plots within Puligny Montrachet.

Bâtard Montrachet also borders three Grand Cru vineyard sites, Le Montrachet on its west, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet on its north-east, and Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet at its south.

Now, let’s look at the region’s wine characteristics and tasting notes.

Batard Montrachet Wine: Taste And Characteristics

Batard Montrachet Chardonnay wines typically have a gold color and showcase a strong aromatic character. They are dry and powerful, with a well-structured body and great length.

Read on to discover the best bottles to look out for in 2024.

10 Best Batard Montrachet Wines To Buy In 2024

Here are the Batard Montrachet wines that you should add to your collection:

• 2014 Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2014 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2017 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2014 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2014 Domaine de la Vougeraie Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2017 Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2017 Domaine Fontaine Gagnard Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2011 Joseph Drouhin Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2015 Louis Latour Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru
• 2019 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru

1. 2014 Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($23,631)

This 2014 vintage is full-bodied and aromatic. It displays tangerine, cream, and honeyed notes with white tannin, dry extract, and a long oak finish.

2. 2014 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($1,363)

The 2014 Pierre-Yves Chardonnay has ripe fruit, white peach, oyster shell, and mineral aromas. It has abundant dry extract, crisp acidity, and a persistent and complex finish.

3. 2017 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($1,094)

The 2017 vintage bottle from Domaine Leflaive, the brainchild of Joseph Leflaive, has a layered aroma of apple, pear, white flowers, and vanilla oak. The wine presents a dense exotic fruit and orange juice flavor on the palate with chalky minerality, tangy acidity, and a long finish.

4. 2014 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($1,042)

This 2014 vintage Grand cru wine has a beautiful bouquet of green apple, citrus, oak, and Ramonet mint. It has concentrated pear, lemon cake, and saline flavors with a spicy aftertaste.

5. 2014 Domaine de la Vougeraie Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($958)

The Domaine de la Vougeraie opens with an exotic nose of mango, pear, peach, orange zest, acacia, and spicy oak. It has a well-balanced palate of dried fruit and mineral flavors with fine acidity and a powerful finish.

6. 2017 Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($668)

The 2017 Domaine Marc Colin is rich with subtle citrus peel, pear, peach, white flowers, and sandalwood aromas. The wine offers yellow fruit flavor and integrated oak notes with lively acids and a mouthwatering finish.

7. 2017 Domaine Fontaine Gagnard Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($494)

This 2017 Domaine Fontaine Gagnard delivers lemon zest, spice, vanillin oak, and floral aromas with dense peach, citrus, and pear flavors. The wine has fine minerality, bright acidity, and a mouthwatering finish.

8. 2011 Joseph Drouhin Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($409)

The 2011 vintage from Joseph Drouhin presents intense almond, honey, bread, and wood aromas with an amazing ripe fruit flavor, fine tannin, and a persistent finish on the palate.

9. 2015 Louis Latour Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($406)

The 2015 Louis Latour has a complex aroma of lemon peel, peach, orange blossoms, brioche, and lilacs. It offers dried fruit, butter, vanilla, and chalk flavors with lively acids and a dry finish.

10. 2019 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France ($398)

This 2019 vintage wine has a powerful bouquet of yellow fruit, white flowers, baked brioche, and wet limestone. It showcases ripe fruit and lemon flavors on the palate with fine acidity and a persistent mineral-driven finish.

Should You Invest In Batard Montrachet Wines?

The amazing Grand Cru Chardonnay wines of Batard Montrachet can be aged for over a decade and are definitely worth their price.

Many top wines, including the 2014 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, have received raving reviews from wine critics like Allen Meadows and publications like Wine Advocate.

These white wines have also shown tremendous growth in their prices. For example:

• The 2014 Leroy Domaine d’Auvenay Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru grew by 197%, from $7,959 in January 2020 to $23,631 in January 2022. 
• The 2014 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru grew by 95%, from $698 in February 2020 to $1,363 in January 2022.

With their excellent aging potential, critical acclaim, and commendable price increases, these wines make great long-term investments.

But do remember that investing in wine can be dicey if you do not know how to authenticate bottles or find reliable sellers. 

So, if you want to invest, you should enlist the services of a professional wine investment company like Vinovest.

Now, how should you serve these fine wines?

Batard Montrachet Wine: Serving Tips

Serve Bâtard Montrachet wines chilled at 53°F-57°F (12°C-14°C) in traditional white wine glasses.

These aromatic white wines pair perfectly with sophisticated dishes like foie gras, lobster thermidor, and poultry in cream and mushroom sauce. They also go well with fresh cheese like Feta and Ricotta.

Now, let us explore the region’s terroir and its influence on the wines.

Batard Montrachet: Viticulture And Winemaking

The Batard Montrachet AOC is located at the bottom of Montrachet hill.

Its vineyard plots are mostly composed of deep gravel and limestone soils, which contribute to the ripening process of the vine plantings and the mineral characteristics of the wines.

According to the AOC regulations, Chardonnay is the only allowed grape variety. Moreover, the vine plantings’ base yield must be 40 hectoliters per hectare, and the grapes must have a minimum maturity of 11.5% potential alcohol.

Here is how these white wines are made:

• The hand-picked grapes are put through a slow pressing. 
• The grape juice first undergoes alcoholic fermentation and then malolactic fermentation in oak barrels which gives them a creamier texture. 
• The wines are then aged for 8-10 months in oak casks to give them their complex oaky notes.

Add A Fine Batard Wine To Your Collection Today!

Bâtard Montrachet wines are widely recognized as some of the best Chardonnay wines in the world.

Their complex and juicy characters make them perfect for fine dining, and their great aging potential will make any top Batard Montrachet bottle a fantastic addition to your wine cellar.

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