Portfolio : Ballot-Millot

Ballot-Millot

An Atherton Wine Imports Direct Import

Long-time wine writer John Tilson has heralded Charles Ballot as a “rising star of gorgeous red and white Burgundy.” We heartily agree with him. After Charles took over from his father, he began to farm his 11.5 hectares using an approach the French refer to as lutte raisonée, meaning ‘the reasoned fight.’ With this agricultural philosophy, the vineyards are farmed organically, unless a significant threat to the vineyard warrants more extreme intervention.

Ballot’s work in the cuverie is modern and forward thinking. His winemaking starts on sorting tables set up in the vineyard, eliminating the leaves and any damaged grapes before anything is moved into the cellar. He de-stems completely and presses into barrel for fermentation - this begins naturally with the native yeasts that come in from each vineyard, and progresses very slowly in his cold cellar.

Unlike the previous generation’s practice of battonage, Charles does not stir the lees, looking for the most pure, focused, and unmasked profile of each unique vineyard. He leaves the wines on their lees in barrel for 12-18 months and, depending on the vintage and the cru, uses between 15% and 50% new wood, but there is no recipe. The wines are racked and transferred to tank where they rest until bottling - typically 18-20 months after vintage. The extra time helps unify the wines, but is much more expensive and difficult because there are always two vintages ageing in the cellar. Sulfur (SO2) is kept as low as possible and Charles prefers to retain naturally occurring carbon dioxide as protection from bacterial growth and oxidation. These are modern practices of what are really very old and traditional methods. The results are spectacular.

Praise for Ballot-Millot

“2020 is a magnificent vintage for the remarkably talented Charles Ballot and these are not to be missed as his whites are knock-out good.”

– Allen Meadows, Burghound, June 2022

“This long time Meursault domaine has been steadily moving up the rankings and now competes with the top names….Good reds and frequently superb whites.”

– Jasper Morris, MW, Inside Burgundy, Dec 2020

“This was my first visit to Domaine Ballot-Millot, where Charles Ballot is producing serious wines, old-fashioned in the best sense, that deserve to be better known….textural, structured wines with lovely cut and concentration that often display a gently reductive personality. Everything I tasted comes recommended.”

– William Kelley, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2020

“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….And, now the 2015s are here and they are absolutely delicious.”

– John Tilson, The Underground Wineletter, April 2018

“When I first tasted the wines of Ballot-Millot from the 2004 vintage, I was very impressed. This week, I visited the domaine for the first time. Located in Meursault, the 30-acre estate is run by Charles Ballot, 30, who made his first wines from the 2001 vintage, and his father, Philippe. I was initially impressed by the purity and focus of the whites from Ballot-Millot, but I also discovered that they make very fine, elegant reds.”

– Bruce Sanderson, The Wine Spectator, Jan 25, 2010

“At Ballot-Millot, an up-and-coming producer based in Meursault, the ’09s are fine and meticulously made…. Like any good vigneron, however, Charles Ballot, the talented young producer, is focused on the future.”

– Eric Asimov, The New York Times, June 13, 2011

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