1 WHITE WINE OF THE VINTAGE TOP QUALITY Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Montrachet Grand Cru 97
Among the greatest white wines of the vintage, as is often the case with Lafon Montrachet. However, in this vintage it is different: with less alcohol and body than it has had in recent years, it shows an almost perfect balance. To be sure, there are super-ripe aromas of apple and peach with notes of marzipan, honey, mineral and butter, but there is a freshness and spice here that transcend the norm. Lafon farms 0.32ha on the south-facing Chassagne side; 80% of the vines come from a very old massal selection, planted in 1953. Monumental wine. Drink 2027-2050
2 TOP QUALITY Bouchard Père et
Fils, Montrachet Grand Cru 96 This is a wine of impressive concentration, with complex layers of fruit on the nose that range from citrus to green apple, apricot, quince and passion fruit. There are elements of cream, butter, flinty mineral and fresh flowers. The texture is dense and long, however there is no lack of freshness, and the balance seems nearly perfect. The wines is produced from 0.89ha of mature vines on the Puligny side, just south of the Ramonet parcel. Profound and ageworthy, it will doubtless also show well young. Drink 2030-2050
TOP QUALITY Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Meursault 1er Cru Perrières
Tremendous – truly 'the grand cru of Meursault'. This has almost pungent aromas of grapefruit and passion fruit with hints of smoke and mineral. The fruit opens up even more on the palate to show hay, beeswax and cream. The texture is rich and broad, but a lively acidity also drives this to an intense, long-lasting finish. Lafon's 0.91ha are spread over three parcels: two in Perrières Dessous (old vines, massal selection, 0.77ha) and Perrières Dessus, which he calls Perrières Ginette (0.14ha). The blend is one of the great whites of the Côte de Beaune. Drink 2027-2040
TOP QUALITY Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée 96 This thrilling wine has a profusion of ripe nectarine, green apple and lime fruit aromas on the initial attack, with a pronounced saline minerality and reductive smokiness. It opens with a bit of time in the glass to give a more generous creamy impression. The concentration of the old vines planted by Pillot’s grandfathers almost directly on the rock is evident. There is a great purity of fruit here without so much as a single new cask to distract from the focused citrus fruit, and those who appreciate powerful, tense whites will be delighted. Drink 2025-2035
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Les Languettes 96
This wine took nearly a year to finish its fermentation, and in the end has delivered robust ripe apple fruit and notes of butter, hazelnut and smoke. This rich, persistent wine is produced from the southern part of Languettes on the border with the Clos du Roi,2025-2035
