Chassagne-Montrachet Wine Region Guide

Famous worldwide for its white wines, Chassagne-Montrachet has a long treasured history, wine traits and traditions that will amaze you. Previously, the commune used to be known as Chassagne-le-Haut, and was later changed to Chassagne-Montrachet in 1879. Subtle, rich and extremely aromatic, a glass of Chassagne-Montrachet wine will have a hold of your senses from the very first sip. Follow our guide to Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation to explore this part of Burgundy wine region and learn more.

Find out more about wine tasting & tours in Chassagne-Montrachet!

Where is Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation located?

Settled at the foot of the famous Montrachet, neighbouring Puligny-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet is a village in the Côte de Beaune sub-region of Burgundy wine region, France. The appellation produces the most expensive, sought for and long-lived white wines the world has known.  The output ratio of red and white wines in the area is roughly 35:56. Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation is also near to the city of Dijon, which is a prominent wine spot, too. Likewise, you can discover and visit the closest wineries to Dijon.

Long Before at Chassagne-Montrachet

In the Middle Ages, the area was called Mont Rachet. The term refers to bare mountains, and this is exactly what the lands looked like. Fortunately, the potential of this unparalleled land was soon realized and utilized. The quarries of Chassagne - Montrachet have existed for several centuries. Many buildings were made in the area using this stone, including historical monuments and buildings of great significance. Alas, many of these quarries were exploited after the war of 1914. Nevertheless, they have been able to withstand the turmoil and stand proudly to this day. 

While Chassagne - Montrachet appellation is well known for both its red wines and white wines, the white wines of the area are historically renowned.

Premium Vineyards of Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation

There are three Grand Cru vineyards within Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation, where Montrachet is the most well-known, and 50 Premier Cru vineyards.

The appellation also shares its territory with that of Puligny, which carries the most sought-after white Grands Crus in the world. These are Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bastard-Montrachet, Bienvenues-Bastard-Montrachet, and Criots-Bastard-Montrachet. The AOC Chassagne-Montrachet has two grape varieties located side by side, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which give excellent white wines and red wines, respectively. They are distributed more or less equitably over the area, for a total production of 1,500,000 litres annually.

Rich Soil through natural logarithm

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the main grape varieties of Chassagne - Montrachet. These grape varieties benefit from the continental climate: warm, dry summers and cool, extended winters.

Vineyards of Chassagne-Montrachet wine appellation cover 3.05 square kilometres and at an altitude of between 220 and 325 meters. The majority of the hillside soils are very old, going as old as -201 million to -145 million years. However, towards the plain, one can find that the soil is more recent and only as old as 2 million years with an erosion of upper layers. The vineyard sites of the south of Chassagne - Montrachet and the north have a distinctive difference in their soil. The south tends to have a higher concentration of limestone marl and red gravel, making the south a better choice for the Pinot Noir. The north is known to have a finer limestone structure and harder marlstone making it more suitable for Chardonnay.

Wine Characteristics of Chassagne-Montrachet

Chassagne-Montrachet is one of the most distinctive wines from Burgundy. The white wines of Chassagne-Montrachet are made of Chardonnay. Chardonnay’s bouquet is dominated by aromas of hawthorn, acacia, and honeysuckle, mixed with verbena and hazelnut. With age, they strengthen their minerality (flint) and honey notes of ripe pear. On the palate, they are persistent in fat and mellow accord. These are wines that win to age several years.

Chassagne-Montrachet Pinot Noir is a very elegant wine with purplish highlights. This Pinot Noir will give you hints of cherry, strawberry, gooseberry, raspberry, and your favorite red fruits. Their flesh is delicious, with tannins a little austere when young, which appear with age, a robust and tasty structure.

What Goes Well with a Bottle of Chassagne-Montrachet wine?

For the red Chassagne - Montrachet, roast game would go exceptionally well.

Roast Game & Chassagne - Montrachet

Roast meat, especially roast lamb or grilled lamb, would elevate the flavours of the red wine made from Pinot Noir. The red meat will coat the fibres in your mouth and bring you a powerful balance of aromas and flavours that you will seldom forget.

Truffled Bresse Chicken Breasts with Basmati Rice and Foie Gras

The name of the dish is a mouthful and the dish itself is no less. Decadent, fulfilling and full of flavors, the tender taste of this dish is impeccable. 

The dish takes no more than 45 minutes to make, but is well worth making. For maximum flavour, you can place the finely sliced truffle underneath the skin of seasoned chicken breasts, then brush the chicken breasts with a teaspoon of truffle juice. 

Where to go near Chassagne-Montrachet?

Beaune

You can set off a day to explore Beaune, which has some history and fascinating places that could interest you. The principal attraction of Beaune is the Hotel - Dieu which previously used to be a hospital in the 15th century. There is certainly a lot of history to feel in the town of Beaune. In Beaune, you can also explore the museum of wine. 

Chalon - Sur - Saone

Not far from  Chassagne-Montrachet, at Chalon - Sur - Saone, medieval houses and a cathedral await your visit. The town hall of Chalon - sur- Saone is well worth a few hours of your time. Here, you can also stroll around a wide range of shops and cafes and enjoy the sunshine. Chalon - Sur - Saone is also popular for its carnivals and outdoor festivals. If you visit during the right time, you are in for a series of surprises. 

Nuits - Saint - Georges

Whilst Nuits - Saint - Georges is fun to walk around and enjoy the buildings and sightings, what will catch your interest most could be the Imaginarium. The Imaginarium is a museum that features numerous articles related to wine production. Perfect for wine enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs, this Imaginarium is sure to have your interest, at best.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Chassagne-Montrachet wine region