2007 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Jean-Pierre Cournut described 2008 as "a miracle harvest, and a small crop of clean grapes." Three weeks earlier, he told me, the fruit wasn't ripe, and there was a serious threat of rot. He started picking on September 26, chaptalizing lightly across the board, even though grape sugars began in the mid 12s for the premier crus. "The 2008s are fatter, while the 2007s are more taut," he summarized. Most of the '08s had finished their malos and had been recently sulfured at the end of May. As I mentioned last year, Cournut harvested late in 2007 due to the timing of his anti-rot spraying, and the wines I sampled seemed the better for this strategy. With the exception of the Vigne Blanche, all the 2007s were bottled last September. Cournut prefers to use a higher percentage of new oak but a shorter elevage than many of his colleagues. In fact, the lesser premier crus here get 20% new barrels, with La Romanee, Grandes Ruchottes and Dents de Chien getting 60% and the Batard-Montrachet aged in 100% new barriques. (Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs; importers include Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; The Wine House Limited, San Francisco, CA; Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; and The Country Vintner, Oilville, VA)

According to Jean-Pierre Cournut, the timing of anti-rot sprays was critical in 2007, as was the crop level and the date of the harvest. He waited until September 7 to pick chardonnay and compares the young '07s to his '04s, which he describes as "concentrated, fat, minerally and fresh. Both vintages absorbed their oak quickly, and both went through reductive stages early on," he told me. Potential alcohol ranged from 11.5% to 12.5% and the wines were chaptalized between a degree and a degree and a half. The malolactic fermentations can be late in this cellar, but the 2007s were finished when I tasted them at the end of May, and had been sulfited twice but not yet racked. (Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs; importers include Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; The Wine House Limited, San Francisco, CA; Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; and The Country Vintner, Oilville, VA) Also recommended: Santenay La Comme.