Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet
Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is a small grand cru climat on the southwestern slopes of the Montrachet hill in Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. It is planted entirely to Chardonnay, making rich, plump white wines that, while not quite as prestigious as the wines from the nearby Montrachet vineyard, are still some of the most sought-after and highly priced wines in the world.
The 3.7-hectare (9.1-acre) vineyard is effectively a lieu-dit of the larger Bâtard-Montrachet site, which covers land in both Puligny and Chassagne-Montrachet. Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet occupies the north-eastern corner of the site, nearest to the village of Puligny-Montrachet itself. The hillside above is occupied by the famous Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet vineyards, while the Les Pucelles vineyard that lies to the north of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet is only classified as premier cru.
Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet's position at the bottom of the slope means that the soil here is slightly richer and deeper than in the plots above. While it is still composed of the same limestone and marl, there is a higher proportion of clay. As a result, the wines are just a little less focused and structured, and a little heavier. However, the soils are still sufficiently thin that the vines must work hard for survival, digging their roots deep into the limestone in search of hydration, a process that is thought to impart minerality in the finished wines.
A number of Burgundy's best Chardonnay producers make wines from Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. Domaine Leflaive has just more than a hectare of vines in the climat, while domaines Ramonet, Faiveley and Vincent Girardin all produce Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet wines as well.