After a lapse of many years, I became acquainted with the wines from this domaine beginning with the 2006 vintage. Since that time I have bought them regularly and drink them often. They are consistently excellent.

Here is background information from previous articles:

Even a lot of very serious White Burgundy fans may have never heard of this producer. I first became acquainted with the wines in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  In those days, the wines were imported in New York and rarely made it to the West Coast, although I purchased them there and had them shipped to me on the West Coast. I remember, in particular, the great 1979 Meursaults which along with those of Coche-Dury and Francois Jobard were truly outstanding.  I drank the last of my Ballot-Millots some years ago and they were gorgeous, remarkably fresh and showing no sign of decline….

…Located in Meursault, this estate consists of some 30 acres of mostly Chardonnay with some Pinot Noir in Pommard and Volnay. Young Charles Ballot took over from his father, Philippe, in 2001. The wines have been consistently brilliant. A lot of old vines and work in the vineyards utilizing severe pruning results in low yields and concentrated wines…. Likewise, new oak is used sparingly and winemaking is kept at a minimum to allow for the natural expression of the grapes (sound familiar?)….The result is wines that are pure and expressive with great finesse, balance and flavor….This is the style of White Burgundy that I most favor….These are still under the radar Burgundies and are wines to buy…

 

  Charles Ballot

The wines have been very consistent every year since 2006. (To read the first Ballot-Millot review as well as another “new” White Burgundy discovery plus a history of my experience with White Burgundy and advice on buying White Burgundy click here. To read more about Ballot-Millot and another terrific White Burgundy producer click here. And to read more about Ballot-Millot, my experience with the wines, and another under the radar Burgundy producer click here). I drink the Ballot-Millot wines often and have had no Premox problems (to read about Premox click here). The 2007s, 2008s, 2009s, 2010s, and 2011s all are especially fine. The 2012s are also stunning.

 

The 2013s (which will be the next vintage to be offered for sale) I expect to follow the trend and be very successful. Here is what I have repeatedly advised about wines that you like. My advice to all of you who are buying and cellaring wine is that when you find something you really like, buy it every year. Forget about vintages and forget about numbers. If you buy what you like, you can watch the evolution over time and I think you will be well rewarded. And, just for the record, I eat my own cooking. This is the program I have followed for a lot of wines and especially Burgundies for decades. I can also say that with specific reference to White Burgundies that, over the years, I have been very well rewarded each year with wines from such producers as Coche-Dury, Domaine Leflaive, Raveneau, and DRC to name a few. And, more recently I would include wines from Pierre Yves Colin Morey as well as Ballot-Millot and a few others. In the last 10 years quite a few other White Burgundy producers have dropped off my list due to Premox problems. For those producers I am waiting to see if they can overcome their problems before I buy the wines again.

The 2012 Ballot-Millots are reviewed below along with notes on a couple of 2007s I tasted along side just as a point of reference. The 2012s are gorgeous wines across the board with subtle differences. With a just a few exceptions, it is hard to pick one over the other. I loved them all and drank them all with food over the course of a couple of weeks. I would advise all of you to do the same. Get a few bottles and taste them to decide which you like. I think you will be very pleased with whatever you choose! And, don’t forget to look for the 2013s when they arrive. Based on the record, they too should be very attractive.

The wines of Domaine Ballot-Millot are imported by Atherton Wine Imports, Menlo Park, CA

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot White Wines

2012 Domaine Ballot Millot Bourgogne Chardonnay
Light yellow in color this Bourgogne has a lovely floral citrus tinged perfume with floral tinged citrus fruit and hints of peach. It is elegant and finesseful with a lot of charm and early appeal – Highly Recommended.     $30

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Blanc
Vineyards in the appellation Meursault represent nearly 20% of the domaine’s holdings. The vines here average nearly 40 years of age.
Light yellow in color this wine has lovely floral perfume with a touch of citrus. Rounded and supple with lovely citrus tinged fruit showing floral nuances it has depth and flavor with a nice underlying crispness. This is a really lovely village wine – Outstanding.     $56

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault  Les Criots
The vines here are over 30 years old.
The wine has a light yellow color and a lovely floral perfume with hints of grapefruit and peach and a very faint flintiness. It is bright and very crisp with lovely citrus tinged fruit and good grip. This will benefit from some additional bottle age – Outstanding.    $59

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Les Narvaux
The vines here are around 40 years old.
The wine has a light yellow color with a faint golden hue and has a gorgeous floral perfume with a touch of citrus and peach and a whiff of spice. It has lovely very pure fruit showing floral citrus flavors with a nice peach complexity. Balanced and flavorful with a nice crispness on the finish, this is a very attractive wine that will evolve beautifully with additional bottle age – Outstanding.    $63

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Poruzots 1er Cru
With a light yellow gold color this wine has a deep floral perfume with hints of peach and a faint citrus nuance. It has lovely fruit showing peach and citrus with a floral tinge and is rounded and flavorful with a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.    $95

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Tête de Clos 1er Cru
Light yellow in color with a faint golden hue this wine has a nice floral perfume. It is very elegant and finesseful with nice fruit and a bright crispness. The wine opens with air to reveal more fruit and subtle floral spice tinged flavors. It needs a bit of bottle age and should drink beautifully – Outstanding.      $86

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Bouchères 1er Cru
Light yellow gold in color this Meursault has a deep floral perfume with hints of citrus and a touch of spice. It has lovely fruit and is quite rich with beautiful balance and a nice underlying crispness – Outstanding.     $95

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Charmes 1er Cru
The vines here are over 45 years old.
The wine is light yellow gold in color and the floral perfume with tinges of grapefruit. It is lush and rounded and shows a lot of fruit and elegance. This Charmes is really lovely now and very accessible with lots of early appeal – Outstanding Plus.      $104

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Genevrières 1er Cru
The vines here are the oldest in the domaine averaging over 70 years old.
The wine has a light yellow gold color with a gorgeous floral perfume with hints of peach and citrus. It is rounded with lots of fruit and flavor and a nice underlying crispness and should evolve beautifully – Outstanding Plus.     $104

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Perrières 1er Cru
The vines here are over 40 years old.
The wine has a light yellow gold color and a stunning perfume with hints of white peach and citrus with a touch of floral spice. It has great flavor and intensity yet with elegance and finesse. Balanced with a long crisp finish, this is a gorgeous Meursault – Outstanding Plus.      $125

2007 Domaine Ballot-Millot White Wines
I purchased these wines on release. I drank them with the 2012s as a point of reference. The acidity in the 2007s shows here and the wines are evolving beautifully. They are drinking really well now and should continue to evolve for several years. The 2012s are more fruit driven and more open now than these 2007s were in their youth. The vintages are different, but all of the wines are delicious. And, note that these two 2007s are not Premier Crus!

2007 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Les Criots
Light yellow in color with a faint golden hue this wine has a lovely citrus tinged perfume with faint hints of green apple and a touch of spice. It has lots of rounded fruit with a bright crispness and is vibrant and flavorful with citrus tinges – Outstanding.

2007 Domaine Ballot-Millot Meursault Les Narvaux
Light yellow in color with a golden hue this wine has subtle perfume with faint hints of apricot and almond and a very faint flintiness. It has very bright fruit with a nice stony citrus tinge and a nice underlying crispness. All in all, it is a lovely wine with complexity and freshness – Outstanding.

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Red Wines
Like the white wines, the Ballot-Millot red wines are consistently very fine and really blossom with some age. Recently, like the 2007 whites I have been drinking some 2007 Ballot Millot red wines and they are delicious. These 2012s are also impressive and will really blossom with a few years bottle age.

 

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Pommard Pezerolles 1er Cru
The vines here are over 40 years old.
With a deep color this wine has a gorgeous perfume with plums and berry fruit accented by floral spice tinges. It is beautifully crafted with layers of fruit accented by spice and a faint exotic nuance. Balanced with lots of flavor, this is a wine that will repay several years aging and develop beautifully for years to come – Outstanding Plus.      $77

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Volnay Santenots 1er Cru
With a deep color this wine has a lovely floral perfume with underlying hints of berries and plums. It is rounded and supple with lovely spice tinged fruit and is well balanced with a lot of charm – Outstanding.       $68

2012 Domaine Ballot-Millot Volnay Taillepieds 1er Cru
The vines here are over 35 years old.
The wine has a gorgeous perfume with hints of plums and spice. It has a lot of supple plum and berry fruit with a tinge of exotic spice and is beautifully balanced with lots of flavor – Outstanding Plus.      $71