Armand Heitz : Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" 2022

Characteristics and tasting tips for the Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" 2022 by Armand Heitz

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a medium intensity with a luminous yellow color highlighted by golden and green reflections.

Nose

The nose reveals a precise aromatic complexity with notes of ripe citrus, white- and yellow-fleshed fruits, complemented by floral nuances and a pronounced mineral backbone reflecting the limestone substrate. Buttery and subtly toasted touches, typical of the great Chardonnays of the Côte de Beaune, gradually develop with aeration.

Palate

On the palate, the wine displays a medium body with impressive depth and volume. The attack is straightforward and precise, driven by lively, refreshing acidity supporting flavors of lemon, white peach, and pear. The mid-palate reveals a broad, slightly creamy texture balanced by beautiful salinity and taut minerality. The finish is long and persistent, marked by notes of citrus, ripe fruit, and a delicate hint of oak that prolongs the sensation of freshness.

Food and wine pairings

This Chassagne-Montrachet 2022 pairs ideally with delicate fish, particularly noble fish simply grilled or served with buttery or lightly creamy sauces. It also accompanies seafood with elegance, seared scallops, roasted poultry or poultry in cream sauce, as well as certain pressed cheeses or soft cheeses with bloomy rind. Preparations highlighting seasonal vegetables, iodine notes, or lemon-based sauces also make excellent matches.

Serving and cellaring

The Chassagne-Montrachet 2022 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 11 and 13°C. Opening the bottle 30 to 45 minutes before serving, possibly in a wide decanter, allows its aromatic complexity to be fully appreciated. This wine can be enjoyed now and has cellaring potential until around 2029.

A Burgundian Chassagne-Montrachet marked by finesse and minerality

The estate

Armand Heitz embodies a new generation of Burgundian winegrowers combining family heritage with sustainable agricultural practices. Established in 2011 when Armand Heitz, a graduate of the Changins engineering school in Switzerland, took over the management of the family vineyards, the estate now covers around twenty hectares in the Côte de Beaune. Based in Chassagne-Montrachet, Armand Heitz gradually reassembled family plots that had been scattered since the phylloxera crisis in the 19th century. The estate stands out for its pioneering commitment to regenerative agriculture, going beyond organic and biodynamic certifications to actively restore vineyard ecosystems. The domaine has developed an agritourism project integrating livestock farming, permaculture, and hospitality.

The vineyard

This Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" comes from plots located in the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, on limestone marl soils rich in limestone, an ideal substrate for the expression of Chardonnay. The soils feature clay-limestone compositions at the bottom of the slope with more silty and sandy soils at higher altitudes. The estate applies innovative regenerative practices including mulching with ramial chipped wood to preserve soil moisture, planting diversified cover crops, and pruning that respects sap flow to extend the life of the vines.

The vintage

The 2022 vintage in Burgundy proved exceptionally hot and dry, with an average temperature of 19.2°C between April and September, or 2.8°C above normal. Rainfall reached only 364 millimeters between January and September, creating a water deficit of 160 millimeters. These extreme conditions favored rapid and concentrated ripening. Armand Heitz adapted his vineyard management by staggering winter pruning to delay budbreak and protect the vines from late spring frosts. During the summer, he temporarily removed permanent cover crops from certain plots to preserve water available for the vines, before replanting them in autumn. Despite the climatic challenges, the vintage produced balanced wines retaining freshness and finesse.

Vinification and aging

The vinification of the Chassagne-Montrachet 2022 follows Armand Heitz’s minimal-intervention philosophy. For the white wines, the Chardonnay is gently pressed before settling, then transferred to barrels for alcoholic fermentation. Fermentations begin with indigenous yeasts, and mechanical interventions are limited in order to preserve aromatic purity. Aging takes place in oak barrels with a moderate proportion of new oak, allowing the expression of the terroir to remain intact while adding a round texture and additional complexity.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay