Historical

Jean-Marc Blain married Claudine, daughter of Jacques Gagnard, to create this estate. He comes originally from Veaugues, close to Sancerre, but met Claudine while studying in Burgundy and rapidly defected. They created the domaine which bears their own name in 1980.

The domaine is 60% white by vineyard ownership, but 70% by wine production, though the reds are well worn looking at, not least the premiers crus Chassagne-Montrachet Clos St Jean and Volnay Champans.

Viticulture & Vinification

The whites are attractively made wines, good in the medium term but capable of ageing. Jean-Marc Blain rarely stirs the lees in this warmer climate – though he did in 2021. The village Chassagne-Montrachet has the added bonus of containing a good proportion, up to a third, of premier cru grapes.

The red wines are made from destemmed grapes, given a short cool soak and then vinified over two to three weeks.

Vineyards

The white, chalky soil of Boudriotte is so different from the rest of its Morgeot holdings that Jean-Marc Blain bottles this wine apart from the rest of their Morgeot which comes from Boirettes and Champ Jeandreau. On the one hand the lifted fruit is stylish and appealing, but the backbone of acidity makes this a vin de garde as well.

The Blain-Gagnard plot of Les Caillerets runs the full length of the vineyard: the marl above gives weight to the wine, the white soil lower down provides elegance and finesse. Edmond Delagrange-Bachelet always insisted that they should be blended for best results, and this certainly makes for a very complete wine, with subtleties of flavour despite its evident power.