Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet Clos St. Jean 2020
$120.00
Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard is one of Chassagne-Montrachet’s finest producers. The domaine originated from the Gagnard-Delagrange holdings, brought together through the 1982 marriage of Richard Fontaine and Laurence Gagnard. The close-knit family shares much of the vineyard work, ensuring careful attention across all plots.
Since 2007, Céline Fontaine has overseen the family holdings and winemaking, now joined by her partner Fred Robert, formerly of Rousseau. Together, they manage the family’s Chassagne-Montrachets, including premier crus and the grand crus of Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, and Le Montrachet.
The domaine’s wines are intense, focused, and complex. They are balanced and approachable in youth yet built to age gracefully. Premier crus typically see about a third new oak, with grand crus receiving slightly more.
Céline’s Chassagne Blanc offers outstanding value, while the premier crus show greater depth and structure. Chassagne “Clos St. Jean” is forward and approachable, popular on wine lists. Other premiers—“Maltroie,” “Morgeot,” “Vergers,” and “Boudriottes”—offer more structure and can age 15–20 years. The top 1er crus, “Caillerets” and “La Romanée,” are long-lived and dramatic, spending 12 months in oak and five months in tank before bottling.
Among the grand crus, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard holds one of the largest parcels of Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, acclaimed by Clive Coates as “one of the very best sources for this tiny grand cru.” Criots shows layers of apple and pear, chalky minerality, exotic spice, and a subtle saline nuance. Céline also produces racy, mineral-driven Bâtard-Montrachet and a small slice of Le Montrachet.
The reds are equally compelling. Passetoutgrain and Bourgogne Rouge are vibrant and charming, Chassagne-Montrachet rouge is sturdy and age-worthy, and Volnay “Clos des Chênes” is consistently elegant and refined.
Overall, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard is a benchmark producer in Chassagne-Montrachet—delivering wines of finesse, depth, and longevity, making it a consistently excellent source we highly recommend.
