Ballot Millot’s roots in Burgundy are seriously deep: they began amassing vineyards back in the 17th century. The Domaine has been one to watch ever since Charles Ballot took over in 2001. When Ballot took over, he began reducing yields, improving farming practices, and updating equipment. The level of quality rose dramatically.
Stylistically, Ballot Millot falls between the reductive style of Coche and Roulot and the voluptuous, oily style of old-school Meursault producers. Ballot’s wines have undeniable energy and detail, without sacrificing richness.
Tête du Clos is a very small Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru vineyard in the Côte de Beaune region of Burgundy. The appellation is associated with white wines from the Chardonnay grape variety.
The 2.1-hectare (5.2 acres) site is situated a few hundred meters west of Morgeot Abbey sitting, as the name implies, on the slope on top of the Les Grands Clos vineyard. All are treated as a subdivision of the wider Morgeot Premier Cru, which covers twenty such lieux-dits.
Consequently, fruit from the site can end up in wines labelled with the Morgeot designation.
Pale colour with a light yellow tint. Fine and lively on its Terres blanches, another excellent rendition of Tête du Clos, a vineyard that consistently delivers. There is impressive fruit weight but also some classy pure fruit too. Pleasing weight with a softer flesh behind marries the clay and the limestone very well. Crisp finish after the flesh.
An expressive nose offers up notes of citrus, resin, petrol, and a deft touch of wood where there is a background note of matchstick character. There is fine richness to the round and delicious middle-weight flavours that deliver fine persistence on the citrusy, dry and crisp finale that delivers sneaky good length. This moderately powerful effort should reward up to a decade of keeping.