Tissot Chardonnay 'Patchwork' 2022

This is from 60% clay (reduction and backbone) and 40% limestone (minerality and drive). Stephane says it's "sunny" and large! It's a "white burgundy" in many ways, but it's a very dense and mineral expression with flinty, smoky elements and very saline, ripe granny-smith finish. It's racy and oozing with yeasty warm dough like character.

From a mix of sites and soils, this is, as the name suggests, a patchwork chardonnay from one of the greatest of greats of white winemaking anywhere.

An interesting release, it grows on you, and it sort of at the same time feels like it needs to be drunk pretty quickly. It sort of softens and gets almost a little too savoury beyond a thirty minute window. Brown lime, dried apple, salted cashews, a faint white balsamic lift, pleasingly so, touches of lemon curd, chicken stock and ginger. It tracks as an expressive, softer tone of Jura chardonnay, and though quite concentrated, also feels relatively delicate and fragile. There’s attraction and beauty here, just a very different feel. And the bottle was drunk in total. Drink 2024-2028. 93 Points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.