FRANÃOIS CARILLON: PULIGNY'S FAMOUS FAMILY
The Carillon family's viticultural history extends backwards for many generations, but the more recent history involves two labels, François Carillon and Jacques Carillon. François's label is named after François's great-grandfather, François Virot, a renowned white winemaker from Puligny's most elite estate, Domaine Leflaive. François and his older brother Jacques began working with his father, Louis Carillon, starting with the 1988 vintage. After Louis Carillon's passing, the brothers split the estate, and Francois Carillon has become known as the more divergent style from his father, while Jacques Carillon has more faithfully carried the style into the next generation. Thus, Francois's style is known for being richer and more indulgent compared to his brother Jacques, and he typically harvests later. However, as Jasper Morris notes in Inside Burgundy, "there's a temptation to see Francois as the modernist, Jacques as the traditionalist, but the wines Francois makes are based around a thorough understanding of the potential of each vineyard, and while the glossy style of the wines makes them enjoyable early on, they are certainly built for the long term."
The 2021s from François are particularly pretty as the richer style is perfectly tempered with the lighter, fresher quality of the vintage. For lovers of classic White Burgundy that isn't driven by trendy winemaking or fads these are guaranteed enjoyment.
