2009 Corton Charlemagne

The 2009 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is fabulous, soaring from the glass with a youthful bouquet of preserved citrus, vanilla pod, pastry cream, subtle white truffle and toasted sesame. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and layered, with a textural attack, deep core, excellent concentration and succulent acids. The length on the finish is extraordinary. While this is the highest in alcohol of the vintages in this tasting (2009-1999), it's better integrated than in the 2006 or 2003 vintages, both of which seem warmer—which Jean-François Coche suggests is because wine made from clean grapes hides its alcohol better than wine made from botrytized grapes. Raphaël Coche adds that 2009 was a year defined by "sun and juice," as vines set a large crop and ripened it in balmy conditions without suffering from any stress.

Readers lucky enough to own the 2009 Corton-Charlemagne will have a hard time keeping their hands off this beauty. The warm vintage has softened some of the contours, resulting in a Charlemagne that is surprisingly accessible at a young age. All the Coche signatures are present, the edges are a bit rounded, which results in a wine of frankly extra-terrestrial beauty. Smoke, slate and crushed rocks are some of the notes that lend nuance to the expressive, silky fruit. The 2009 somehow manages to be radiant and crystalline. This is about as great as wine gets.