HISTORY
Below is what I said about this Domaine in my first article posted in February 2010:
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.
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. I still have some 1979 Meursaults from Coche-Dury and Francois Jobard and they are still great wines today. But, although I have continued to buy Coche-Dury and Francois Jobard every year since those early days, I lost track of Ballot-Millot.
That is until the wine appeared last year on the West Coast, now imported by Atherton Wine Imports in Menlo Park. It seems that about five years ago Charles took over from his father Philippe. The 2006s and 2007s are really impressive, particularly the 2007s. Much work is done in the vineyards to assure low yields to produce concentrated wine. Likewise, new oak is used sparingly and winemaking is kept at a minimum to allow for the natural expression of the grapes (sound familiar?) This is the style of White Burgundy that I most favor.
This is a Domaine to look for and buy. Again, I am sure that given some age these too will be cellar treasures and keep and gain complexity over a very long period of time….
(To read the entire article which also features my first article on a new young producer by the name of Pierre Yves Colin-Morey click here And, by the way the article also features tasting notes on his 2007s which are drinking beautifully today).
The next year I had this to say:
I wrote about the 2007s from this Domaine last year. The wines were fabulous. And, now the 2008s are here and they too are very special. 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. Work in the vineyard utilizing severe pruning results in low yields and concentrated wines. The winemaking is unmanipulative and new oak is used sparingly. The result is wines that are pure and expressive with great finesse, balance and flavor. These are still under the radar Burgundies and are wines to buy.
Domaine Ballot-Millot is now on my list of White Burgundies to buy every year (there is also a small amount of Red Burgundies produced and these are worth buying also). In this regard, they join Pierre Yves Colin-Morey and the Clos de Mouchere from Jean Boillot as the most recent additions to my buy every year list. Since the late 1970s my buy every year list has included Raveneau, Coche-Dury, Leflaive, Ramonet, DRC, and Jobard. 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, if the wines meet your expectations, you will be well rewarded. Certainly, the White Burgundies on my list have consistently met and even exceeded my expectations. The real surprises come in some of the off years (such as 1968 and1977) and some of the years that were proclaimed early on to not be capable of prolonged aging (such as 1982)….
(To read the entire article click here).
OLDER WINES AND THE 2015 VINTAGE
Since 2006 I have been reviewing, buying, and drinking the wines of Domaine Ballot-Millot. They are consistently really lovely wines and the age beautifully. In the past year I have enjoyed wines from 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. All were delicious and ready to drink. The 2009s were surprisingly good as were the 2006s. The 2007s, 2008s, and 2010s are still evolving and living up to my early expectations. Yet with an enviable track record of consistent quality the wines continue to be “under the radar”. This is a real advantage for all of us wine consumers. And, now the 2015s are here and they are absolutely delicious. I am a big fan of the 2015 White Burgundies which have great fruit and are beautifully balanced. My advice to all of you White Burgundy lovers is to buy them while you can. The Ballot-Millot wines are imported by Atherton Wine Imports.
2015 TASTING NOTES
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot White Wines
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Bourgogne
This is a really delicious Bourgogne. It has a light yellow color with a faint golden hue and a lovely floral tinged perfume with a hint of citrus. With very good fruit and nice balance the wine is flavorful and offers great early appeal – Very Good Plus. $30
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Blanc
The vineyards here represent some 20% of the Domaine’s holdings and average 40 years of age. This 2015 is a gorgeous Meursault village and is one to buy. It has an intriguing complex perfume with a tinge of mint and citrus with a faint steeliness. On the palate the wine has lots of very pure fruit intermingled with subtle nuances of mint and citrus with an underlying mineral tinge followed by a long, crisp finish – Outstanding. $58
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Les Criots
The vines here are over 30 years old. The wine has a light yellow color and lovely perfume with floral and citrus nuances and a faint mineral tinge. Bright and crisp with very pure and crisp underlying fruit accented by floral citrus nuances this is a lovely Meursault that will evolve beautifully with additional bottle age – Outstanding/Outstanding Plus. $62
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Les Narvaux
The vines here are over 40 years old. The wine has a light yellow color and lovely floral perfume with a citrus tinge and a faint exotic nuance. With gorgeous very pure fruit showing a faint floral undertone it is very appealing now with a nice underlying crispness giving a nice lift on the finish – Outstanding. $69
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots 1er Cru Tete De Clos
The vines here are 50 years old and are located in a prime area of Morgeots. This is a really lovely wine with a gorgeous faintly floral perfume and subtle hints of citrus and melon. Beautifully balanced and very elegant with lovely floral tinged fruit and a nice crispness on the finish it is very appealing now and will age gracefully over many years – Outstanding Plus. $87
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Boucheres 1er Cru
The vines here are over 45 years old. Light yellow in color with a faint golden hue the wine has a lovely floral perfume with faint hints of citrus and white peach. Rounded, elegant, and supple with lovely fruit it is balanced and has lots of early charm. And, as delicious as the wine is now it should age beautifully – Outstanding Plus. $100
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Charmes
The vines here are over 45 years old. The wine has a light yellow color and a gorgeous complex perfume with floral, citrus, and peach intermingled with a kiss of spice. With great elegance it is also creamy and lush with lovely fruit showing a faint hint of exotic spice and a nice underlying crispness. It is the great balance and complexity that makes this wine a win/win. Drink it now or for many years into the future – Outstanding Plus. $105
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Genevrieres
The vines here are the oldest in the domaine averaging over 70 years old. With a light yellow color this wine has a stunning perfume with exotic floral nuances. On the palate it is very harmonious yet well-defined with gorgeous very pure fruit accented by a faint citrus spice tinge. Beautifully balanced this is really delicious and has a long life ahead – Outstanding Plus. $110
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Meursault Perrieres
The vines here average over 40 years old. Light yellow in color the wine has a fabulous perfume with a floral nuance showing a mineral tinge and faint hints of peach and citrus. Very elegant and finesseful yet with flavor and backbone it has subtle hints of peach with mineral and citrus tinges and a faint floral undertone. Over time this should really blossom and become even more expressive – Outstanding Plus/Extraordinary. $120
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Red Wines
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Volnay Santenots 1er Cru
The vines here are over 20 years old. With a deep color the wine has a lovely berry and cherry perfume with a floral undertone and a kiss of spice. On the palate it has lovely red fruit flavors with a faint underlying spice and is elegant and beautifully balanced. Very forward and easy to drink this Volnay will also age gracefully for many years – Outstanding. $60
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Volnay Taillipieds 1er Cru
The vines here are over 35 years old. With a deep color this wine has great perfume with berry and cherry fruit tinged with floral spice and a very faint foresty undertone. On the palate it has loads of fruit and is very flavorful and well-structured with balance, backbone, and depth. This is a keeper that should age beautifully over time – Outstanding/Outstanding Plus. $65
2015 Domaine Ballot Millot Pommard Pezerolles 1er Cru
The vines here are over 40 years old. The wine has a very deep color and a lovely perfume with hints of plum and cherry accented by a faint spiciness. With loads of fruit it is supple, lush, and balanced with very good balance and depth. Very accessible now, but this Pommard will age effortlessly for many years into the future – Outstanding Plus. $75
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