The estate was created by Jean-Marc Blain and Claudine Gagnard in 1980.
He is from the Sancerrois region and she is from Burgundy, originally from Chassagne, with a family deeply rooted in wine.
The estate's vines come mainly from the Delagrange-Bachelet and Gagnard-Delagrange estates, Claudine's grandparents and parents respectively, and from a few purchases.
The couple now produce wines from around twenty appellations, including Chassagne Montrachet, Montrachet Premier Cru, Montrachet, Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru, Puligny Montrachet, Volnay Premier Cru... And the exceptional and very rare Grand Cru Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet.
The terroir is made up of limestone and marl, giving the wines great finesse and elegance, with a fine structure. The estate's vines come mainly from the Delagrange-Bachelet and Gagnard-Delagrange estates, Claudine's grandparents and parents respectively, and from a few purchases. The vines are planted with Chardonnay (55%) and the rest with Pinot Noir.
Both in the vineyard and in the cellars, the vines are pampered: integrated pest management, ploughing between the rows, crushing and pressing of the whites, settling, fermentation in casks, stirring of the lees to bring out the flavour and complexity of the Chardonnay, racking, then resting in stainless steel vats and bottling of the whites just before the next vintage. For the red wines, extraction from the Pinot Noir is kept to a minimum, to soften the often uncompromising tannins of Chassagne. The coopers are also carefully selected to ensure that the wines are not overtly oaky. Jean-Marc Blain always makes decisions that maximise the elegance of his wines rather than over-emphasising power.
In the space of three decades, Jean-Marc Blain has become a true reference and a star in Chassagne !
Domaine Blain Gagnard produces many Premier Crus and Grands Crus, as well as several village appellations: Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Boudriotte, Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Les Caillerets, Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot, Chassagne Montrachet, Montrachet, Puligny Montrachet, Criots Bâtard Montrachet, Volnay...
Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Boudriotte: a special terroir with white, chalky Boudriotte soil that is very different from the others, which justifies a parcel-by-parcel cuvée. A delicious, elegant fruitiness characterises this seductive wine, underpinned by fine acidity for optimal cellaring.
Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Les Caillerets: a parcel that stretches the length of the locality, with different soils depending on altitude. Marl at the top adds thickness to the wines, while white soil towards the valley adds elegance and finesse!
Find a wide range of Montrachet & Co wines on Vins et Millésimes! Some great estates are well worth a visit and a taste: Albert Bichot, Domaine Leflaive, Heitz Lochardet, Pierre Morey and Vincent Dancer are all available for sale and 100% in stock!