Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumees - Clos St-Abdon

Simon Colin launched his micro-négociant label in 2017 at age 24 — before inheriting 9.3 hectares of family vines in 2021 — specifically to build a style distinct from his father Philippe's generation: less oak, more terroir, more acid tension. That deliberate rupture is most legible in Les Chaumées. Les Chaumées 1er Cru sits at the cooler upper border of Chassagne-Montrachet where it meets Saint-Aubin, on chalky, stony limestone soils that drive the saline, mineral register absent from the richer mid-slope parcels. The elevated position and chalky substrate compress ripeness and amplify the site's linear character. Fermentation is conducted in barrel using indigenous yeasts; aging runs approximately 12 months in a mix of 228L barrique, 350L demi-muid, and concrete egg — with ~25% new French oak for this Premier Cru, the remainder in older wood, followed by 3–4 months in tank before bottling on natural cork. Only fine lees are retained; SO₂ additions are minimal. The concrete egg component — unusual for a Premier Cru Chassagne — preserves primary fruit and amplifies textural precision without the reductive risk of full barrel aging. In the warm 2022 vintage, Les Chaumées delivers ripe citrus, honeycomb, and hazelnut with the structural grip to develop through 2033+; the site's cooler aspect tempers the vintage's generosity into something more architecturally precise than many 2022 Chassagnes.