2023 Jean-Marc Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet, 1er Cru Les Vergers

The Pillot family has farmed vines in Chassagne-Montrachet for generations. Jean-Marc represents the fourth, known for a steady, vineyard-first approach: careful farming, hand harvesting, and élevage that relies on mostly older barrels with only a small portion of new oak.

Les Vergers sits mid-slope on the northern side of the village, just below the grand cru band of Le Montrachet. The soils here mix limestone scree with compact clay, a combination that tends to give wines with both breadth and a clear mineral line.

The 2023 season delivered generous fruit across the Côte de Beaune, but Pillot’s measured style keeps things focused. Citrus peel, orchard fruit, and a light hazelnut note from barrel aging. The texture is layered but energetic, finishing with the salty, stone-driven character that shows up so clearly in this part of Chassagne.