2007 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

In addition to significantly improving the quality of its red wines in recent years thanks to a consulting assist from CEO/advisor Bernard Hervet, who formerly oversaw the turnarounds at Bouchard and William Fevre for the Henriot family, Domaine Faiveley has sharply upgraded its portfolio of white Burgundies in a very short period as well. In the spring of 2008 they bought the well-situated Domaine Monnot (brothers Marc and Alexandre Bachelet will continue to get a portion of this fruit under a long-term contract), and they also signed a 12-year agreement to get fruit from Domaine Matrot-Wittersheim (a property in Meursault owned by Thierry Matrot's aunt and her daughter). Faiveley's 2008s from the Cote d'Or were still finishing their malolactic fermentations at the beginning of June but showed outstanding potential. Among my early favorites were a very minerally and precise Meursault Blagny; a remarkably intense, aromatic and long Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres; a wonderfully silky and long Meursault Charmes from a site just under the Clos des Perrieres; and a superb trio of grand crus: a Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet with a mineral precision that reminded me of a Chevalier-Montrachet; a superripe and multidimensional Batard with a structure akin to a Montrachet; and a classic Corton-Charlemagne boasting great solidity and palate-staining length. Incidentally, I have added notes here on some of Faiveley's 2008 Chablis cuvees, which had in fact finished their malos when I sampled them chez Faiveley at the beginning of June.