2009 Puligny-Montrachet Champs-Canet

Jacques Carillon describes his 2010s as "classic Burgundian chardonnay, like 2008." This vintage is the first year in which Jacques and his brother Francois have completely separate operations following the division of the domain three years ago. It was a bit too early to assess a couple of these wines at the beginning of June, as they still had significant unconverted malic acidity, but this looks to be an excellent vintage here. Carillon's 2009s have also turned out well, as an early harvest enabled the fruit to retain good minerality.

This domain will be divided between brothers Jacques and Francois Carillon as of the 2010 vintage, with Jacques keeping the Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts and Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet and splitting the Puligny villages, Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrieres and Chassagne-Montrachet Les Macharelles with his brother. In vintages 2009 and 2008, they made the wines together but will divide up the bottles to sell under their two labels (Jacques working with Rosenthal Wine Merchant and Francois with Vineyard Brands). According to Jacques, the brother I have tasted with through the years and again in early June, the estate picked early in 2009 "to preserve acidity and minerality," bringing in fruit with around 12.8% potential alcohol and chaptalizing lightly. He views 2009 as an opulent style of wine, with the fat of years like 2006 and 2005. In contrast, 2004, 2007 and 2008 are more classic mineral-driven, old-style Burgundies. Whereas the malos were very late to finish in 2008, in 2009 they were done in four to six weeks, noted Carillon. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL) Also recommended: Puligny-Montrachet (86).