Armand Heitz Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 'Murgers des Dents de Chien' Blanc 2021

Armand Heitz Saint-Aubin 1er Cru 'Murgers des Dents de Chien' Blanc comes from the most celebrated vineyard of Saint-Aubin, on the hill directly above Le Montrachet.

The name is a piece of vineyard vernacular: murgers are the heaps of stones cleared from the rows and piled at the edges, while dents de chien, dog's teeth, describes the jagged limestone outcrops that break through the surface here. The vineyard lies high on the slope above Chassagne-Montrachet, looking down on the grands crus, and its thin stony soil and altitude have made it the reference point for the appellation. Saint-Aubin was for a long time a modest address, and vineyards this high were among the last to be taken seriously. Armand Heitz took over his family's vines in the 2010s and farms organically, with a regenerative approach that brings livestock, trees and hedgerows back into the vineyards.

Serve at around 12 degrees with shellfish, white fish or poultry in a cream sauce, and give it three to eight years.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.

Type: White Wine
Style: Medium-bodied, Stony, Mineral-driven
Grape Varietal: Chardonnay
Tastes Like: Comparable to a premium oaked Chardonnay, but leaner and stonier than a New World example
Alcohol Percentage: 13%
Closure: Cork
Size: 750mL
Appellation: Saint-Aubin 1er Cru AOC
Region: Saint-Aubin, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Terroir: Jagged limestone outcrops high on the hillside, close to the grand crus of Puligny-Montrachet
Aging: Whole bunch pressed and raised in barrel with little intervention
Serving Temperature: 12℃ – Serve chilled

Armand Heitz took over his family’s vines in the 2010s, working from Chassagne-Montrachet and Pommard, and farms organically with a regenerative approach that brings livestock, trees and hedgerows back among the vines. Vinification is deliberately understated, with whole bunch pressing and little intervention.

Saint-Aubin sits in a side valley behind Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, a village long overlooked because it lies off the main run of the Côte d’Or. Murgers des Dents de Chien is its best known premier cru, named for the jagged limestone outcrops that break the surface of the slope; the term murger refers to the heaps of stones cleared from the vineyard. It lies high on the hillside close to Puligny’s grand crus, and its whites are among the best value in the Côte de Beaune.

Aperitif: Perfect on its own, or with gougères and light canapés
Seafood: Excellent with oysters, prawns, mussels or grilled fish
Charcuterie: Pairs beautifully with jambon persillé, terrines and cured ham
Poultry: Ideal with roast chicken or a light cream sauce

Charolais: A Burgundian goat cheese, chalky and bright beside the wine
Mâconnais: Small and lactic, complementing the wine’s freshness
Comté: Nutty and firm, balancing the wine’s acidity
Chaource: Soft and creamy, met by the wine’s citrus lift

Jambon Persillé (Burgundian Parsleyed Ham Terrine)

Ingredients (Serves 8 as a starter):

• 1.2kg cooked ham hock or gammon, in large pieces
• 500ml dry white Burgundy
• 500ml light chicken or veal stock
• 2 sheets gelatine, or 1 pig’s trotter for a traditional set
• Very large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 French shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 bouquet garni
• Cracked black pepper
• Cornichons and crusty bread, to serve

Instructions:

1. Simmer the ham gently in the white wine and stock with the bouquet garni for one hour, until it falls apart easily.
2. Lift out the meat and strain the cooking liquid, then reduce it to around 500ml.
3. Soften the gelatine and dissolve it into the warm liquid, then stir in the vinegar and plenty of cracked pepper. Taste before adding salt, as the ham is already salty.
4. Flake the ham coarsely by hand into rough chunks rather than shredding it finely.
5. Combine the parsley, shallots and garlic, keeping the mixture generously green.
6. Layer the ham and the parsley mixture into a terrine, pressing lightly but leaving gaps for the jelly.
7. Pour the liquid slowly over so it works through every layer, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
8. Turn out and slice thickly, serving with cornichons and crusty bread.

Traditionally made for Easter across Burgundy, jambon persillé is exactly what these whites are for. The wine’s acidity and citrus lift cut through the salted ham and set jelly, while its restrained weight leaves room for the sheer quantity of parsley in the dish.