2002 Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Pernot started picking on August 21 (he typically harvests early for better acidity), and during this very hot period he harvested only during the morning hours. Grape sugars were in the 12. 5% to 13% range, according to Pernot, who told me he chaptalized very little, especially for his crus. He also did less lees stirring than usual, stopping in early November, as he did not want to lose the gas that was protecting the wine. He describes the young 2003s as atypical wines, a bit like the '76s. The 1976 harvest was also very early, he said, but he didn't begin that year until September 1-further evidence of just how extreme the summer of 2003 was. We don't have the primary aromas of chardonnay in 2003 due to the extreme heat," he summarized. Pernot told me that most of his 2003 cuvees include a small percentage of second generation grapes, although he pointed out that growers in Meursault were generally more likely to have had the possibility of including these grapes, as Meursault has more old, degenerating vines that are more likely to produce second generation grapes than Puligny-Montrachet. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York NY Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York NY also brought into the U. S. as a Peter Vezan Selection and through Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs)

Pernot describes his young 2002s as very fat, powerful wines, more complete and more complex than his 2000s and 1999s. He described them as having "normal" acidity. They're richer than the 2001s, he went on, but the 2001s will be longer agers. As always, the malolactic fermentations finished early here, and the wines were fairly easy to taste at the beginning of June. Pernot, who owns a full three hectares of Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres and continues to sell off the majority of his production, told me that his parcel at the top of the hill rarely makes it into his own bottling, as this spot is partially shaded by fir trees and is thus too cool to allow the grapes to ripen thoroughly in most years. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; also brought into the U.S. as a Peter Vezan Selection and through Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs)