1998 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

This estate did a drastic crop thinning in late July and early August, eliminating virtually half the fruit and ultimately reducing the vineyard yields to an average of 35 hectoliters per hectare. More important, the team was in a position to harvest during the good week of weather before it began raining again. Enologist Francois Millet was beginning to rack the wines for a second time in November, using a bicycle pump-a labor-intensive but relatively gentle way of carrying out this task. Millet describes the young '99s as exuberant, extroverted wines that nevertheless have depth and structure. "They've been approachable since the beginning and a pleasure to work with," he adds. "The fruit is like a coulis which gives a sweetness without heaviness. In comparison, the fruit in '98 is more crystallized, and even more vibrant." (Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; Ideal Wines, Medford, MA; Barrique Wines, Chicago, IL; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; The Wine Company, Minneapolis, MN, Vintner Select, Cincinnati, OH)