Puligny-Montrachet AC

[pew-lee-NYEH (pew-lee-NYEE) mawn-rah-SHAY] Puligny-Montrachet is a famous village in the côte de beaune section of the côte d'or in France's burgundy region. The village itself is rather unexciting, but it is regarded as the home of chardonnay, a reputation based on the general consensus that the world's best dry white wines are produced here. Puligny-Montrachet AC contains two grand cru vineyards-chevalier-montrachet and bienvenues-bâtard-montrachet-and nearly half of each of two others-le montrachet and bâtard-montrachet. The best wines from Le Montrachet are viewed by many as the best dry white wines in the world, although the wines from Chevalier-Montrachet have supporters who have the same opinion. The other two grand cru aren't far behind, and the village's fourteen premier cru vineyards also produce superb wines. The best of these premier cru vineyards are Le Cailleret, Les Combettes, Les Folatières, Les Pucelles, and Les Referts. Wines from other vineyards are bottled under the designation of Puligny-Montrachet AC or côte-de-beaune villages ac. This area produces small amounts of red wine (from pinot noir), which don't have the stature of the great whites.