2022 Christian Clerget - Morey St. Denis Blanc Les Crais (750ml)

From its base in Vougeot, Domaine Christian Clerget crafts eight appellations across the Côte de Nuits, from Vosne-Romanée Les Violettes and Vougeot's Les Petits Vougeots to Échezeaux. Justine Clerget works alongside her parents, and the family farms organically. In 2022, an early vintage, she began picking on August 25 and, with a team of 30, brought in the entire crop in just five days.

Les Crais is the domaine's only white, and whites of any kind are rare in Morey-Saint-Denis. The 0.23-hectare parcel, once planted to Pinot Noir, sits at about 250 meters and was replanted in 2003 mostly to Chardonnay, with a touch of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. Whole bunches are pressed directly, fermented spontaneously in barrel, and aged 12 months without lees stirring.

Pale in color, the wine opens with crystalline citrus and a faintly exotic edge, plus a touch of fresh apple. The palate is both crisp and rich, balancing citrus fruit with stony minerality before a long, intense finish. Serve it with seared scallops in brown butter or aged Comté.