2009 Chassagne Montrachet Les Chenevottes

The 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chenevottes flows onto the palate with remarkable grace and transparency. This shows striking inner perfume to complement a weightless, totally elegant expression of fruit. Hints of smoke and ash add complexity on the vivid finish. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is one of Burgundy’s most exciting young producers. Colin-Morey works with six hectares of vineyards, three of which are estate owned, while the rest are sources of purchased fruit. According to Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, the key to 2009 was picking early. The harvest started on the September 4. Colin-Morey did a long, slow press, with no batonnage once the wines were in barrel, all with the aim of preserving as much freshness as possible given the natural ripeness of the fruit. Roughly 80% of the wines were aged in 350-liter barrels, larger than the norm in Burgundy. Colin-Morey finished bottling the 2009s in April 2011. Colin-Morey told me he wasn’t enthused about the 2009s at first, but now thinks the wines have enough freshness to age well. A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; also imported by Bertin Henri Selections, 10900 N.W. 21st Street, Unit 180, Doral, Florida 33172 tel: (305) 343-4054

Deep dense greenish gold. Very rich. More concentration than in the Leflaives on the nose. Lemony and nervy with real density. Real solidity. Long. Very seductive. Quite open and lots of extract. (JR)

Sweet, ripe aromas of peach and white flowers. Plush and harmonious but fresh, with sweet stone fruit flavors complicated by flowers and spices. Finishes broad and long, with enticing high notes.