2021 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

On an idyllic sunny October morning, I met with winemaker Benoit Riffault, who showed the complete range of wines from Sauzet that includes a couple of additional cuvées. We ascended up to the new tasting room overlooking the golden hues of the Puligny vineyards. We first discussed the 2024 season and to what extent organic farming poses a challenge.

“We have been practicing biodynamic [farming] for ten years,” he replies, “but we are not certified, though we are certified organic. Certainly, it is much harder, and we had to do 15 or 16 treatments with copper. We have around half the crop in 2024.”

We then moved onto the subject in question: the 2023s.

“It is an easy vintage during the vegetation period: not too much stress with no mildew, just a little oidium. The most difficult part was the ripening and maturity period, as we had rain close to harvest. Some of the vineyards were ripe, so it was difficult deciding whether to go ahead with picking or not. Then, the picking windows were small because after five or six days, the sugar was increasing very quickly. You had to be careful not to pick early or too late. We started on August 28 for just one day picking two [early ripening] plots, then restarted on August 31, finishing the Puligny on September 5 or 6, before the Hautes-Côtes between September 10 and 12. The vinification wasn’t too difficult. It was not particularly high in acidity, and I wanted to keep that, so I cut out the final pressings [fractions] that contain higher pH levels. I didn’t have to change the acidity at all. The acidity levels are around 3.25 and 3.30 [pH]. The wines are a little fresher than expected with good balance. Maybe the 2022s have more concentration and will age better? But perhaps 2023 has higher quality of fruit and mineralité.”

Sauzet came close to being excluded from my report after the first appointment had to be rearranged, and a miscommunication led to my almost missing the second. Thankfully, I bumped into winemaker Benoît Riffault at La Paulée the previous day, realized something was amiss, and sorted everything out. “The growing season was not too difficult without too much stress,” Riffault tells me in a new tasting room whose huge oval window affords a splendid view across Puligny towards Les Pucelles. “But I needed to be careful with my Puligny Village as the sugar level goes up more quickly towards the end compared to the Premier Crus, which has a steadier accumulation. I started the harvest on August 24. The idea was to pick a bit earlier than 2020, where maybe I had a small mistake in terms of alcohol levels. [In 2022] I wanted to capture more freshness. The vinification was normal; the Premier Crus aged in between 15% and 25% new oak using foudres for the entry-level cuvées and 350-liter barrels used in some wines. The wines will be bottled from January onwards.” This was a very fine set of 2022s from Sauzet, despite losing his Chevalier-Montrachet after Bouchard Père & Fils stopped selling fruit. My pick would be his Puligny-Montrachet Les Truffières and Les Combettes. The Montrachet is outstanding, and for those whose wallets don’t stretch that far, check out his Puligny-Montrachet Sous le Puits.

“It was an early harvest, from August 22,” winemaker Benoît Riffault explained when I visited the winery in Puligny. “Unlike 2019, I felt that it was necessary to pick earlier. It was an easy vintage with healthy grapes. The surprise was the quality of juice from the press. It is a fruity vintage that is easy to understand. The 2019 is more concentrated and dense, while 2020 has more drinkability and freshness. The alcohol is slightly lower than the 2019 but slightly higher for the Village Crus. We decided to pick early and finished after seven days in the Hautes-Côtes around September 4 or 5. The wines are very compact now.” This was an impressive showing from Sauzet, who in my opinion is making better wines than ever, much more consistent than just a decade ago. Although the Grand Crus are very fine, as a consumer, I would set my sights on the over-performing Premier Crus such as the Les Truffières and Les Referts.

Benoît Riffault has fine-tuned this Puligny stalwart in recent years and imbued Sauzet’s wines with more mineralité and tension. “I think it’s a good vintage,” he told me as we embarked on our tasting of 2019s. “There is good concentration with body and acidity at the same time. The wines are balanced. It’s a small crop because of frost in the regional and village appellations plus it was so dry and hot. We didn’t have a lot of juice in the grapes, so we averaged 30hl/ha compared to 55hl/ha the previous year. We started the picking on 9 September. The fermentation was normal, the alcohol a little higher than usual, around 14.0° to 14.2° though that is not a problem for me if I have balance. It’s a characteristic of the vintage. The pH levels varied between 3.1 for the Hautes-Côtes up to 3.25 to La Garenne for example. But the most important thing is the tartaric level of acid, which was very high in 2019.” The dark horse amongst this range is a quite brilliant Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet that had the hubris to outflank both the three other Grand Crus, including the Montrachet. It is blessed with razor-sharp aromatics and enthralling tension from start to finish. Riffault himself could not disguise his satisfaction with this cuvée and I can taste exactly why. I asked whether altitude is playing a more significant role in governing quality given the warm summers. Riffault replied: “It could be better being higher up although on limestone areas it can speed up the maturity too much.” Among the wide range of Puligny-Montrachets, Les Combettes stood out and challenged the Grand Crus, plus I am always taken by their parcel in the lieu-dit of En Richard in Les Folatières.” But testament to the fine job Riffault is doing is the quality of entry-level wines, his Bourgogne Blanc one of the best that I encountered amongst many.

Winemaker Benoît Riffault was on hand to guide me through Sauzet's 2018s at their winery in Puligny-Montrachet. "Nothing is bottled," he told me. "They were racked just before harvest and the wines are on the lees. We started the picking on 25 August and finished about one week later. The season had been hot and dry, so the grapes were perfect. The big surprise was the juice in the grapes. I have no idea why. Maybe the showers two weeks before the picking had an effect or maybe reserves in the beginning of spring. Nobody imagined the juice like that, comparable to 2009 in volume. The malic [in the fruit] was very low at the beginning of August which is why I harvested early."

Assistant winemaker Benoît Riffault, who has been working with Gérard Boudot since 2002, described 2017 as “a compromise between 2015 and 2009. They show the density and gras of the ‘09s and have slightly healthier pHs and softer textures than the very ripe but sometimes rigid 2015s.” He added that the '17s are a very good vintage but don’t have the acidity of the 2014s. Riffault noted that yields were even lower in some of the estate’s holdings in 2017 than in 2016 (45 hectoliters per hectare overall for the domain, with some vineyards as low as 30), but pointed out that as most of the estate’s holdings are in Puligny-Montrachet, they did not have significant frost issues in ’16.

Riffault, who is married to Boudot's daughter Emilie and vinifies with her and her father, told me that the estate has not done any lees stirring for at least the last eight years. Current plans as of early June were to rack the lesser wines in July and bottle them in November and December. The rest will be racked just prior to the 2018 harvest and bottled next February or March. Incidentally, as of this vintage, Gérard Boudot is sealing all of his bottles with white wax capsules made with paraffin.

Assistant winemaker Benoît Riffault told me that Domaine Sauzet was lucky to mostly avoid the frost in Puligny-Montrachet in 2016, but added that "we had significant mildew pressure and the growing season required a lot of work in the vines." Grape sugars were slightly lower than in 2017, mostly between 12.8% and 13.2%, and the estate did very little chaptalization. Still, Riffault said, “the raw material in 2016 was good—a classic average vintage in the spirit of Burgundy—but not exceptional like the ripe, dense, balanced, cleanly delineated ‘17s.” He considers the ‘16s to have a bit less structure than the ‘17s and does not believe the earlier set of wines is for long aging. He compared them to the “precocious” 2011s, which he says are very fresh today. As we tasted through the ‘16s, Riffault noted that he found the wines rather closed—“not as fruity as they were at the beginning.”

Gérard Boudot, who made a bit more than half a crop in 2016, told me it’s hard to compare this vintage with an earlier year. “Maybe a fatter version of 2007 for some estates,” he offered. “But there’s a huge disparity between cuvées in 2016 due to the frost. Some wines will be best early for their fruit but the rest should be normal mid-term agers—up to 12 years. The ripeness is not exceptional and the wines are not especially aromatic today, but they are solid, not fragile, and the acidity is good.” Boudot did very little chaptalization beyond his Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne, and limited the percentage of new oak for his premier crus to about 22%. He planned to rack his ‘16s in July but won’t bottle anything until January—and later for his top crus.

The 2015s, in contrast, “have the fruit to give early pleasure but will probably be good at every stage. The wines are easy but I don’t mean that pejoratively and the terroirs come through. The grapes were golden without surmaturité and there was nothing to eliminate on the sorting table. The wines are not especially intellectual but neither will they need long aging.” Boudot considers the vintage to be outstanding, noting that the 2009s were “more marked by their vintage." Incidentally, he told me that he's drinking wines earlier for their fruit as he gets older.

Gérard Boudot, who made a bit more than half a crop in 2016, told me it’s hard to compare this vintage with an earlier year. “Maybe a fatter version of 2007 for some estates,” he offered. “But there’s a huge disparity between cuvées in 2016 due to the frost. Some wines will be best early for their fruit but the rest should be normal mid-term agers—up to 12 years. The ripeness is not exceptional and the wines are not especially aromatic today, but they are solid, not fragile, and the acidity is good.” Boudot did very little chaptalization beyond his Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne, and limited the percentage of new oak for his premier crus to about 22%. He planned to rack his ‘16s in July but won’t bottle anything until January—and later for his top crus.

The 2015s, in contrast, “have the fruit to give early pleasure but will probably be good at every stage. The wines are easy but I don’t mean that pejoratively and the terroirs come through. The grapes were golden without surmaturité and there was nothing to eliminate on the sorting table. The wines are not especially intellectual but neither will they need long aging.” Boudot considers the vintage to be outstanding, noting that the 2009s were “more marked by their vintage." Incidentally, he told me that he's drinking wines earlier for their fruit as he gets older.

“We were very lucky after the last day of heat and south wind on August 31, as we had only a few millimeters of rain that night” [as opposed to the violent hailstorm that struck Chablis], said winemaker Benoît Riffault. Domaine Sauzet had waited a few extra days “for the skins to soften a little,” but the fruit was technically ripe earlier. The estate picked its Chardonnay at potential alcohol levels between 13% and 14% and did not acidify.

“For me, the wines have energy,” Riffault told me, with pHs between 3.15 and 3.3 and acidity levels between 3.8 and 4.0 grams after the malolactic fermentations. “The 2015s are not extreme or atypical,” he went on. “I’m not sure if the vintage is great or just very good. It’s not the type of vintage I prefer to drink but the wines have good aging potential. They have more fruit and they’re juicier and more energetic than the 2003s.”

The 2015s were still in barrels at the time of my visit and Riffault told me he did not plan to de-gas them at the racking, explaining that years with low malic acidity generally have less gas. He also believes that the 2015s will get more compact by the time they're bottled.

"Two thousand fourteen is very Burgundian in spirit, with all of its elements in harmony,” said winemaker Benoît Riffault about the Domaine Sauzet white wines. The crop level was average and acidity levels were in the sound 4 to 4.2 range, or roughly the same as the ‘13s here. When I asked Riffault to compare the ‘14s to the estate’s ‘12s, he noted that 2012 was a very small crop, also stressed by hail, “but without the same balance as 2014. The ‘12s are very strict, even tannic, and their austerity bodes well for the future. The 2014s have more generous fruit and a juicy character.” The finished ‘14s (the village wines were bottled in January and the crus in March) carry alcohol levels between 12.5% and 13.2%, with no chaptalization.

Riffault, who admitted that this estate had some problems with premature oxidation in vintages 2005 and 2006, told me he’s confident that “the great problem is behind us” as he struggled to extract the extra-thick, extra-long 25-by-49-millemeter corks of the 2014s. The estate has also been using wax seals for its grand cru bottles since vintage 2013.

Gérard Boudot describes 2014 as “a very homogeneous vintage that respected our terroirs. The wines will be rounder and more classic than the 2013s, which are more taut.” He went on: “The 2014s may be easier to drink early, especially the village wines, which are easy to understand.” Boudot harvested early in 2014, beginning on September 11, with grape sugars between 12.6% and 13%, and did “almost no chaptalization.” He also told me that he had done no lees stirring for the 2014s as of the end of May, and that he stirred the 2013s just once, after the malos ended in late spring. “We have less nitrogen in the bourbes today owing to our gentler presses, so the wine is less protected,” he explained.

Most of the 2014 malos were finished by February or March. The vintage, says Boudot, “is a good classic year, with good material and acid structure.” He generally produced 40 to 42 hectoliters per hectare, more than in the two previous vintages and similar to 2011. Boudot uses about 15% new oak for his village wines, 20% for his first few premier crus and 25% beginning with the Referts. The grand crus get 25% to 33% (but none for the Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet), plus a lot of once-used barrels.

Boudot believes that the 2013s express themselves well with a double decanting a couple hours in advance. “This completely changes the wines,” he told me. He finds the ‘13s “very solid, almost rigid, and very stable in bottle. They have very good aging potential but that depends on the yields, which were very heterogeneous compared to 2014. There was strong mildew pressure at the flowering in 2013, and we lost a lot of crop.” Incidentally, Boudot recommends drinking his 2014s, 2012s and 2011s before his 2013s.

Gérard Boudot describes 2014 as “a very homogeneous vintage that respected our terroirs. The wines will be rounder and more classic than the 2013s, which are more taut.” He went on: “The 2014s may be easier to drink early, especially the village wines, which are easy to understand.” Boudot harvested early in 2014, beginning on September 11, with grape sugars between 12.6% and 13%, and did “almost no chaptalization.” He also told me that he had done no lees stirring for the 2014s as of the end of May, and that he stirred the 2013s just once, after the malos ended in late spring. “We have less nitrogen in the bourbes today owing to our gentler presses, so the wine is less protected,” he explained.

Most of the 2014 malos were finished by February or March. The vintage, says Boudot, “is a good classic year, with good material and acid structure.” He generally produced 40 to 42 hectoliters per hectare, more than in the two previous vintages and similar to 2011. Boudot uses about 15% new oak for his village wines, 20% for his first few premier crus and 25% beginning with the Referts. The grand crus get 25% to 33% (but none for the Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet), plus a lot of once-used barrels.

Boudot believes that the 2013s express themselves well with a double decanting a couple hours in advance. “This completely changes the wines,” he told me. He finds the ‘13s “very solid, almost rigid, and very stable in bottle. They have very good aging potential but that depends on the yields, which were very heterogeneous compared to 2014. There was strong mildew pressure at the flowering in 2013, and we lost a lot of crop.” Incidentally, Boudot recommends drinking his 2014s, 2012s and 2011s before his 2013s.

"The weather was lousy in 2013," said Gerard Boudot on the first morning of my white Burgundy tour at the end of May."There was plenty of mildew but we were not affected by hail."He began harvesting on September 29, picking over the next eight and a half days, with potential alcohol levels ranging from about 12% for the village wines to 12.8% for the crus (the Combettes and Champs-Canet were near 13%).Boudot reported that he had fairly consistent ripeness, and that he eliminated some rotten and underripe grapes at harvest-time.He told me he hasn't done any lees stirring "yet," except for one time in December, explaining that with organic farming batonnage has not been necessary in recent years as the fruit has better balance.He has also been using less and less new oak, experimenting with some 20- and 25-hectoliter foudres for some vinifications."I once bought 100 to 110 new barrels a year, but now I'm down to 40 for the same volume of wine," said Boudot.All of the wines noted below were still in barrel at the end of May.Boudot describes 2013 as "a fleshier version of 2011, with similar acidity and pH levels, and a very typical terroir year."He added:"I love the quick drinkability and salinity of the 2013s compared to the 2012s, which need a bit of time."

"The weather was lousy in 2013," said Gerard Boudot on the first morning of my white Burgundy tour at the end of May. "There was plenty of mildew but we were not affected by hail." He began harvesting on September 29, picking over the next eight and a half days, with potential alcohol levels ranging from about 12% for the village wines to 12.8% for the crus (the Combettes and Champs-Canet were near 13%). Boudot reported that he had fairly consistent ripeness, and that he eliminated some rotten and underripe grapes at harvest-time. He told me he hasn't done any lees stirring "yet," except for one time in December, explaining that with organic farming batonnage has not been necessary in recent years as the fruit has better balance. He has also been using less and less new oak, experimenting with some 20- and 25-hectoliter foudres for some vinifications. "I once bought 100 to 110 new barrels a year, but now I'm down to 40 for the same volume of wine," said Boudot. All of the wines noted below were still in barrel at the end of May. Boudot describes 2013 as "a fleshier version of 2011, with similar acidity and pH levels, and a very typical terroir year." He added: "I love the quick drinkability and salinity of the 2013s compared to the 2012s, which need a bit of time."

As a rule, the middle strip of the hillsides was favored in 2012, said Gerard Boudot, while the ripeness of the higher parcels tended to be more affected by hail stress. "The wines from the high slopes are less easy to taste today," he added. Crop levels for certain wines were infinitesimal. For example, Boudot made just 100 liters of wine from his vines in Hameau de Blagny ("this was the epicenter of the August 1 hail") and this juice went into his village Puligny. Based on my side-by-side tasting of 2012 and 2011 chez Boudot, this estate had great success in 2011. Alcohol levels in '11 were about 0.3% lower across the board than in 2010 but with similar phenolic maturity, Boudot explained, adding that the combination of ripe grapes and low pHs was very rare. He did not chaptalize his 2011. "This is a vintage to enjoy at all stages of its evolution--and certainly to start drinking before the 2010s," noted Boudot.

As a rule, the middle strip of the hillsides was favored in 2012, said Gerard Boudot, while the ripeness of the higher parcels tended to be more affected by hail stress."The wines from the high slopes are less easy to taste today," he added.Crop levels for certain wines were infinitesimal.For example, Boudot made just 100 liters of wine from his vines in Hameau de Blagny ("this was the epicenter of the August 1 hail") and this juice went into his village Puligny.Based on my side-by-side tasting of 2012 and 2011 chez Boudot, this estate had great success in 2011.Alcohol levels in '11 were about 0.3% lower across the board than in 2010 but with similar phenolic maturity, Boudot explained, adding that the combination of ripe grapes and low pHs was very rare.He did not chaptalize his 2011."This is a vintage to enjoy at all stages of its evolution--and certainly to start drinking before the 2010s," noted Boudot.

This is a fabulous set of wines from Sauzet. The harvest started on August 29, and the wines came in between 12.5-13.0% alcohol, which meant none of the tanks were chaptalized. The 2011s spent 12 months in oak (15-30% new) followed by six months in steel. Winemaker Benoit Riffault was admirably candid in explaining that he modified the timing of sulfur additions in 2011 after the experience of 2010, where some of the wines were quite awkward at the same stage in their lives.

Yields in 2011 were average, and smaller than those of 2009, said Gerard Boudot."Of course we had a much larger crop than in 2010 thanks to the superb flowering," he addied.Potential alcohol levels were in the 12.5% range, and all but the top crus were chaptalized lightly.At the time of my visit, Boudot had not yet stirred the lees; in 2010, he did only two or three batonnages for each cuvee.Similarly, Boudot has been slowly reducing his use of new oak in recent years.He now uses just 20% to 25% for most of his premier crus (the Combettes gets 33%), compared to 33% to 40% in the late '90s.Boudot is convinced that biodynamic farming has enabled him to get more aromatic precision in his wines, especially in his Bienvenue-Batard and Batard."Now the differences between these wines are accentuated," he told me, "despite the fact that the vines are not far from each other."

Yields in 2011 were average, and smaller than those of 2009, said Gerard Boudot. "Of course we had a much larger crop than in 2010 thanks to the superb flowering," he addied. Potential alcohol levels were in the 12.5% range, and all but the top crus were chaptalized lightly. At the time of my visit, Boudot had not yet stirred the lees; in 2010, he did only two or three batonnages for each cuvee. Similarly, Boudot has been slowly reducing his use of new oak in recent years. He now uses just 20% to 25% for most of his premier crus (the Combettes gets 33%), compared to 33% to 40% in the late '90s. Boudot is convinced that biodynamic farming has enabled him to get more aromatic precision in his wines, especially in his Bienvenue-Batard and Batard. "Now the differences between these wines are accentuated," he told me, "despite the fact that the vines are not far from each other."

I have to admit I was a bit perplexed by these 2010s from Sauzet. A number of wines were massively reduced and/or heavily sulfured to a degree I did not encounter at any other property I visited. The best selections in the lineup are quite strong, which suggests some of those elements may dissipate over time as the wines integrate, but at the same time, I can only report what is in the glass, and the reality is that some of the wines in this lineup are very awkward at this stage. I suggest readers taste the Sauzet 2010s before making any major commitments. The 2010 harvest started on September 17th. Yields were closer to normal in the village wines, but down by as much as 35% in the premier and grand crus. The wines spent 12 months in oak, 25-35% new for the premier crus, and 35% new for the grand crus, followed by six months in tank.

According to Gerard Boudot, the 2010s are similar to the 2008s in their "good fruit, natural alcoholic degrees and minerality." Yields were very low on the hillsides (just under 30 hectoliters per hectare, on average, for the premier crus), but close to normal on the tops of the hills (about 45 h/h for the grand crus) due to the later flowering under better weather conditions. The grapes were small due to widespread millerandage, and the levels of dry extract are solid, added Boudot, who did not expect to bottle his crus until next March. Boudot has cut way back on lees stirring in recent years; for the 2010s, he did just three batonnages prior to the malolactic fermentations and then stopped. The 2009s here are also quite strong in the context of the vintage. "Early harvesting was the secret to success in '09," said Boudot, "and it was necessary to limit the size of the crop. After that, the wines were very easy to vinify." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

According to Gerard Boudot, the 2010s are similar to the 2008s in their "good fruit, natural alcoholic degrees and minerality." Yields were very low on the hillsides (just under 30 hectoliters per hectare, on average, for the premier crus), but close to normal on the tops of the hills (about 45 h/h for the grand crus) due to the later flowering under better weather conditions. The grapes were small due to widespread millerandage, and the levels of dry extract are solid, added Boudot, who did not expect to bottle his crus until next March. Boudot has cut way back on lees stirring in recent years; for the 2010s, he did just three batonnages prior to the malolactic fermentations and then stopped. The 2009s here are also quite strong in the context of the vintage. "Early harvesting was the secret to success in '09," said Boudot, "and it was necessary to limit the size of the crop. After that, the wines were very easy to vinify." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

This is a beautiful set of wines from Etienne Sauzet. Proprietor Gerard Boudot emphasized the importance of keeping yields low and picking early. The harvest began on September 7. Boudot did a very light bâtonnage, and the wines saw approximately 20% new oak. The 2009s were bottled beginning in August 2010, but the premier and grand crus weren't bottled until March 2011.

I tasted this year with Gerard Boudot's assistant Bernard Riffault, who described the 2009 harvest as similar to the conditions of 2005. "The grapes were yellow but not too exotic," Riffault explained. "There was a bit more juice in the grapes in '09 and very little sorting was needed, so we made the full crop." Today Boudot starts with more lees, presses stronger and longer and does no batonnage, according to Riffault. The wines are more reduced during elevage, and that may be why he told me he thought they were "a bit compact, with a cold calcaire quality" when we tasted together. I thought they showed more crunchiness than the 2005s, whose aromas show a warmer aspect. Riffault believes the estate's 2008s will be easy to drink young. "Some are in surmaturite, almost with a botrytis character," he told me. "It's not a taut vintage or a classic year for aging, but the wines have good acidity and should have decent cellaring potential." Riffault finds the 2008s to be a bit more viscous than the 2009s as a group, describing the latter vintage as more classic. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

I tasted this year with Gerard Boudot's assistant Bernard Riffault, who described the 2009 harvest as similar to the conditions of 2005. "The grapes were yellow but not too exotic," Riffault explained. "There was a bit more juice in the grapes in '09 and very little sorting was needed, so we made the full crop." Today Boudot starts with more lees, presses stronger and longer and does no batonnage, according to Riffault. The wines are more reduced during elevage, and that may be why he told me he thought they were "a bit compact, with a cold calcaire quality" when we tasted together. I thought they showed more crunchiness than the 2005s, whose aromas show a warmer aspect. Riffault believes the estate's 2008s will be easy to drink young. "Some are in surmaturite, almost with a botrytis character," he told me. "It's not a taut vintage or a classic year for aging, but the wines have good acidity and should have decent cellaring potential." Riffault finds the 2008s to be a bit more viscous than the 2009s as a group, describing the latter vintage as more classic. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

"Both 2008 and 2007 were saved by ten days of good weather before the harvest," noted Gerard Boudot. He began harvesting in 2008 on September 23, bringing in fruit with 13% to 13.5% potential alcohol (higher than in 2007) and with "a bit of surmaturite." The harvest required a lot of work, he told me. "We needed to pick out the grey rot and keep the pinker grapes. It was a small crop, especially after the selection, but the crop level had actually been smaller than 2007 since the flowering." He did a stricter settling of the must in 2008-in contrast to 2007 and 2005, two very clean vintages that required almost no debourbage. Ultimately, Boudot describes the 2008s as "between 2007 and 2006 in style, with higher acidity than 2006 but less of an exotic character." And he noted that "there's no reason why the 2007s won't last a long time," telling me that he now uses 40 ppm SO2 for the bottling, as well as thicker corks and silicone rather than paraffin to facilitate cork extractability. As to earlier vintages, Boudot admitted that "there's a lot of premature oxidation in my 1999s, the 2000s are in good shape, and the 2001s won't last a long time." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

"Both 2008 and 2007 were saved by ten days of good weather before the harvest," noted Gerard Boudot. He began harvesting in 2008 on September 23, bringing in fruit with 13% to 13.5% potential alcohol (higher than in 2007) and with "a bit of surmaturite." The harvest required a lot of work, he told me. "We needed to pick out the grey rot and keep the pinker grapes. It was a small crop, especially after the selection, but the crop level had actually been smaller than 2007 since the flowering." He did a stricter settling of the must in 2008-in contrast to 2007 and 2005, two very clean vintages that required almost no debourbage. Ultimately, Boudot describes the 2008s as "between 2007 and 2006 in style, with higher acidity than 2006 but less of an exotic character." And he noted that "there's no reason why the 2007s won't last a long time," telling me that he now uses 40 ppm SO2 for the bottling, as well as thicker corks and silicone rather than paraffin to facilitate cork extractability. As to earlier vintages, Boudot admitted that "there's a lot of premature oxidation in my 1999s, the 2000s are in good shape, and the 2001s won't last a long time." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot harvested early in 2007, beginning on September 3 "The vegetative cycle was really finished by about August 25, and after that the grapes gained sugar through evaporation," he told me. "After about September 6 or 7 the grapes started to lose their tartaric acidity. It was better to pick early and chaptalize a bit than to lose acidity in 2007," he concluded. The crus came in with potential alcohol in the 12.5% to 12.8% range, and Boudot used a sorting table for all of his vineyards in '07. Boudot was not the only winemaker to express the opinion that 2007 favored the base of the hill to mid-slope. "Conditions were a bit tougher on the more minerally top of the hillside," he said. I tasted from barrels that had finished their malolactic fermentations at the end of May, but some older barrels still had some malic acidity remaining. Boudot was still stirring the lees every three weeks. He considers 2007 to be a vintage for medium-term drinking, over the next 3 to 15 years. "The wines started out a bit hard, but they're developing well with elevage," he told me. Incidentally, Boudot says that 2006 has similarities to 1986, beginning with an element of noble rot. "It was critical to pick early in 2006," he summarized. "The wines are not enormous, but the element of noble rot has given them fat and power." In fact, Boudot's wines display considerable immediate sex appeal, while the top '05s here really call for five or six years of patience. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot harvested early in 2007, beginning on September 3 "The vegetative cycle was really finished by about August 25, and after that the grapes gained sugar through evaporation," he told me. "After about September 6 or 7 the grapes started to lose their tartaric acidity. It was better to pick early and chaptalize a bit than to lose acidity in 2007," he concluded. The crus came in with potential alcohol in the 12.5% to 12.8% range, and Boudot used a sorting table for all of his vineyards in '07. Boudot was not the only winemaker to express the opinion that 2007 favored the base of the hill to mid-slope. "Conditions were a bit tougher on the more minerally top of the hillside," he said. I tasted from barrels that had finished their malolactic fermentations at the end of May, but some older barrels still had some malic acidity remaining. Boudot was still stirring the lees every three weeks. He considers 2007 to be a vintage for medium-term drinking, over the next 3 to 15 years. "The wines started out a bit hard, but they're developing well with elevage," he told me. Incidentally, Boudot says that 2006 has similarities to 1986, beginning with an element of noble rot. "It was critical to pick early in 2006," he summarized. "The wines are not enormous, but the element of noble rot has given them fat and power." In fact, Boudot's wines display considerable immediate sex appeal, while the top '05s here really call for five or six years of patience. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot was one of several white Burgundy producers who made a point to show his 2005s before his 2006s. The reason, he explained, is that the 2005s are "pure, upright wines," while the '06s, which Boudot describes as "fat and round," show a slightly exotic quality from an element of noble rot. Boudot started the harvest on the day of the ban, and carried out a triage in the vines. The lower sites were much more likely to require elimination of some grapes affected by rot, he said. As a result, ultimate production levels in 2006 were about 15% higher on the hillsides, while at the bottom of the slope the yields were similar to those of 2005. Boudot did a bit of acidification in 2006 but not in 2005. In fact, he told me, the pHs in 2005 were on the low side. Sauzet is candid on the subject of premature oxidation, which has plagued at least a few of his vintages of the past decade. "The worst vintages for me were '96 and '98," he told me. "In '96 in particular, the malos were long and I did a lot of lees stirring. Because of the late malos I did not dose with SO2 until it was too late." In addition to being more careful about stirring the lees and sulfuring his wines, Sauzet has also taken steps to ensure better cork quality and more perfect closures. Beginning with the 2005 vintage, he no longer uses corks coated with silicone (he uses only paraffin, which he describes as a natural product), and he has switched to a bottle with a longer neck, so that the entire cork grips the glass. The result is a cork that's considerably harder to extract, but a far more successful seal. One hopes that these steps will be sufficient to protect Boudot's wines, as these are frequently among the stars of my early tastings in Burgundy. The finished '05s were standouts in late May. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot was one of several white Burgundy producers who made a point to show his 2005s before his 2006s. The reason, he explained, is that the 2005s are "pure, upright wines," while the '06s, which Boudot describes as "fat and round," show a slightly exotic quality from an element of noble rot. Boudot started the harvest on the day of the ban, and carried out a triage in the vines. The lower sites were much more likely to require elimination of some grapes affected by rot, he said. As a result, ultimate production levels in 2006 were about 15% higher on the hillsides, while at the bottom of the slope the yields were similar to those of 2005. Boudot did a bit of acidification in 2006 but not in 2005. In fact, he told me, the pHs in 2005 were on the low side. Sauzet is candid on the subject of premature oxidation, which has plagued at least a few of his vintages of the past decade. "The worst vintages for me were '96 and '98," he told me. "In '96 in particular, the malos were long and I did a lot of lees stirring. Because of the late malos I did not dose with SO2 until it was too late." In addition to being more careful about stirring the lees and sulfuring his wines, Sauzet has also taken steps to ensure better cork quality and more perfect closures. Beginning with the 2005 vintage, he no longer uses corks coated with silicone (he uses only paraffin, which he describes as a natural product), and he has switched to a bottle with a longer neck, so that the entire cork grips the glass. The result is a cork that's considerably harder to extract, but a far more successful seal. One hopes that these steps will be sufficient to protect Boudot's wines, as these are frequently among the stars of my early tastings in Burgundy. The finished '05s were standouts in late May. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot describes 2005 as "ripe but not overripe, and showing good precision of terroir.It was important not to pick too late," he continued."We were afraid at the beginning that 2005 would be like 1989, but the wines have turned out to be better-balanced, with good acid structure.Actually, the two vintages had very similar numbers at the beginning but we started with a bit more malic acidity in 2005, though still in the average range."Alcohol levels were in the high 12.8% to 13.5% range, while average yields for the domain were 43 hectoliters per hectare, or down about 15% from those of 2004.Boudot believes that the 2005s have the solidity and structure for long aging, but he also feels that they will be drinkable young "for their fruit and flowers."Those who have had problems with premature oxidation in Sauzet wines from the '90s (especially '96, although Boudot noted that the '95 Bienvenue Batard was his first "problem wine") will be happy to know that Boudot is now bottling with somewhat higher levels of free and total sulfur.(Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot believes the young 2004s show a balance similar to that of the 2000s. "The wines have correct maturity and good acidity," said Boudot, who had not acidified the new vintage as of the end of May. "The 2004s are not as big as 2002, though," he added. "They don't have as much aromatic punch or concentration as 2002, but they are wines in a classic style." Boudot did no lees stirring with his 2003s, and racked the wines from barrel into tank barely eight months after the harvest, keeping a lot of CO2 and limiting oxygenation of the wines. All of the '03s were bottled before Christmas of 2004. "I tell my clients to drink them within three or four years; ageability is certainly a big question mark with the 2003 vintage." (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot started harvesting on August 23 (with the Champs-Canet), as "the vegetative cycle was done, and the leaves were falling. " He used more than a ton of carbonic gas to chill down the must. Yields were low, as the vines were affected by frost, hail and drought in 2003:production was typically between 22 and 30 hectoliters per hectare, but near 40 for the Puligny-Montrachet Garenne. Boudot, who said he had malic acid levels as low as 0. 5 grams per liter, acidified across the board, but since there was hardly any malic acidity, there was virtually nothing to be gained by blocking the secondary fermentations, a technique Boudot has used in several recent vintages. The grapes ripened by concentration; there's not really any surmaturite Boudot told me. The impression of sucrosite comes mostly from the lack of acidity. "Following a short sojourn in barrel, all of the 2003s were moved to stainless steel, with their fine lees, by early May. The plan was to bottle these wines prior to the 2004 harvest. Boudot believes that his customers should begin drinking virtually all these 2003s within a year or two. The Sauzet 2002s have turned out splendidly:Boudot maintains that they combine the solidity of 1990 with the finesse and fruit of 1992. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham AL

Gerard Boudot started harvesting on August 23 (with the Champs-Canet), as "the vegetative cycle was done, and the leaves were falling. " He used more than a ton of carbonic gas to chill down the must. Yields were low, as the vines were affected by frost, hail and drought in 2003:production was typically between 22 and 30 hectoliters per hectare, but near 40 for the Puligny-Montrachet Garenne. Boudot, who said he had malic acid levels as low as 0. 5 grams per liter, acidified across the board, but since there was hardly any malic acidity, there was virtually nothing to be gained by blocking the secondary fermentations, a technique Boudot has used in several recent vintages. The grapes ripened by concentration; there's not really any surmaturite Boudot told me. The impression of sucrosite comes mostly from the lack of acidity. "Following a short sojourn in barrel, all of the 2003s were moved to stainless steel, with their fine lees, by early May. The plan was to bottle these wines prior to the 2004 harvest. Boudot believes that his customers should begin drinking virtually all these 2003s within a year or two. The Sauzet 2002s have turned out splendidly:Boudot maintains that they combine the solidity of 1990 with the finesse and fruit of 1992. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham AL

Gerard Boudot described the April 11 frost in 2003 as the area's worst since 1974, with his most substantial crop losses coming in Puligny-Montrachet Referts, Perrieres, Champs-Canet and Combettes. Boudot regards vintage 2002 as the fourth consecutive year that yielded well-balanced wines. Grape sugars were in the very ripe 12.5% to 13.8% range and very little chaptalization was needed. As with the 2001s, the malolactic fermentations went slowly. The combination of good acidity, healthy pHs and the SO2 treatments stalled the development of the malolactic bacteria," he explained. Two thousand two began with more material than 2001, more ripeness. The wines show very good precision and intensity; they're aromatic, more floral than in 2001." The yields in 2002 were lower than in the previous two years, added Boudot, with the village parcels producing 45 to 48 hectoliters per hectare and the premier crus 42 to 47. I was not able to sample the 2002 Montrachet as none of the barrels had finished their malos. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot described the April 11 frost in 2003 as the area's worst since 1974, with his most substantial crop losses coming in Puligny-Montrachet Referts, Perrieres, Champs-Canet and Combettes. Boudot regards vintage 2002 as the fourth consecutive year that yielded well-balanced wines. Grape sugars were in the very ripe 12.5% to 13.8% range and very little chaptalization was needed. As with the 2001s, the malolactic fermentations went slowly. The combination of good acidity, healthy pHs and the SO2 treatments stalled the development of the malolactic bacteria," he explained. Two thousand two began with more material than 2001, more ripeness. The wines show very good precision and intensity; they're aromatic, more floral than in 2001." The yields in 2002 were lower than in the previous two years, added Boudot, with the village parcels producing 45 to 48 hectoliters per hectare and the premier crus 42 to 47. I was not able to sample the 2002 Montrachet as none of the barrels had finished their malos. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot describes his 2001s as fat, fresh and a bit lower in acidity than his 2000s, but with similar sugars. The rains stopped about ten days prior to the vendange and some concentration was regained in the latter days of the harvest. Boudot admitted to a bit of rot in 2001 ("but the rot gave more gras and in any case I did very little stirring of the lees"), but maintained that rot was not an issue in 2000 and thus the earlier wines are "pure, elegant and precise." Thanks in part to cold weather this past winter, as well as to the somewhat higher amounts of sulfur added to the 2001 musts, the malolactic fermentations have gone very slowly, noted Boudot, who added that his Chevalier-Montrachet and Montrachet were just beginning their secondary fermentations. In virtually every instance, I tasted the 2001s from barrels that had finished their malos, which means that I tasted mostly from new or once-used barrels. Drink the premier crus after two or three years, suggests Boudot, the grand crus after five or six. Boudot, incidentally, describes his 1999s as "less elegant than the 2000s but with more material. The 2000s will be more expressive early." These wines have indeed turned out very well. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot describes his 2001s as fat, fresh and a bit lower in acidity than his 2000s, but with similar sugars. The rains stopped about ten days prior to the vendange and some concentration was regained in the latter days of the harvest. Boudot admitted to a bit of rot in 2001 ("but the rot gave more gras and in any case I did very little stirring of the lees"), but maintained that rot was not an issue in 2000 and thus the earlier wines are "pure, elegant and precise." Thanks in part to cold weather this past winter, as well as to the somewhat higher amounts of sulfur added to the 2001 musts, the malolactic fermentations have gone very slowly, noted Boudot, who added that his Chevalier-Montrachet and Montrachet were just beginning their secondary fermentations. In virtually every instance, I tasted the 2001s from barrels that had finished their malos, which means that I tasted mostly from new or once-used barrels. Drink the premier crus after two or three years, suggests Boudot, the grand crus after five or six. Boudot, incidentally, describes his 1999s as "less elegant than the 2000s but with more material. The 2000s will be more expressive early." These wines have indeed turned out very well. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot offered the most concise possible description of the 2000 and 1999 whites: "The 2000s are fruity, while the 1999s are floral," he told me at the end of May. He elaborated on the new vintage: "We had a lot of rain at the end of August and beginning of September in 2000, but the fruit had thick skins and there was little rot. It was a difficult year saved by ten good days of weather before the harvest. Yet the vintage shows a bit less acidity and a bit lower sugar than 1999, so the wines will have a slightly weaker structure. I'll probably bottle these wines a bit earlier, or perhaps keep them in cuve instead of oak for the last few months." The premier crus all were aging in about one-third new oak, except for the Combettes (45%) and the Garenne (25%). Boudot prefers '00 and '99 to '98 and '97, and is especially high on '99, which he compares in quality to 1990. "The 2000 vintage is more like '92," he adds. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot offered the most concise possible description of the 2000 and 1999 whites: "The 2000s are fruity, while the 1999s are floral," he told me at the end of May. He elaborated on the new vintage: "We had a lot of rain at the end of August and beginning of September in 2000, but the fruit had thick skins and there was little rot. It was a difficult year saved by ten good days of weather before the harvest. Yet the vintage shows a bit less acidity and a bit lower sugar than 1999, so the wines will have a slightly weaker structure. I'll probably bottle these wines a bit earlier, or perhaps keep them in cuve instead of oak for the last few months." The premier crus all were aging in about one-third new oak, except for the Combettes (45%) and the Garenne (25%). Boudot prefers '00 and '99 to '98 and '97, and is especially high on '99, which he compares in quality to 1990. "The 2000 vintage is more like '92," he adds. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot spoke favorably of the natural balance of the fruit in 1999. "The wines have sound acidity and a solid spinal column," he told me. "They will be delicious early for their fruit and they will age. I haven't found these lovely primary aromas of white flowers since 1973, which was my first vintage." Boudot claimed to have had yields of around 50 hectoliters per hectare in his premier crus, and 57 to 60 for his village wines. There was some rain at the beginning and at the end of the period, he told me, but no rot. The pHs were low in '99, though not quite so low as in '96. The malolactic fermentations tended to go quickly as there was a relatively low percentage of malic acidity in the grapes. The wines were still on their lees at the end of May, and because the lees were "spotless," Boudot planned to continue stirring them every two weeks until November of this year-even after the assemblage and first racking in early September. Boudot top '98s have turned out impressively: he felt that the rain prior to the harvest compromised the acidity in the grapes, and his wines have benefitted from his decision to retain 25% to 30% of the malic acidity. Interestingly, Boudot describes his '98s as wines in an easy style; the '97s, he says, display more nervosite and aging potential. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot spoke favorably of the natural balance of the fruit in 1999. "The wines have sound acidity and a solid spinal column," he told me. "They will be delicious early for their fruit and they will age. I haven't found these lovely primary aromas of white flowers since 1973, which was my first vintage." Boudot claimed to have had yields of around 50 hectoliters per hectare in his premier crus, and 57 to 60 for his village wines. There was some rain at the beginning and at the end of the period, he told me, but no rot. The pHs were low in '99, though not quite so low as in '96. The malolactic fermentations tended to go quickly as there was a relatively low percentage of malic acidity in the grapes. The wines were still on their lees at the end of May, and because the lees were "spotless," Boudot planned to continue stirring them every two weeks until November of this year-even after the assemblage and first racking in early September. Boudot top '98s have turned out impressively: he felt that the rain prior to the harvest compromised the acidity in the grapes, and his wines have benefitted from his decision to retain 25% to 30% of the malic acidity. Interestingly, Boudot describes his '98s as wines in an easy style; the '97s, he says, display more nervosite and aging potential. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Gerard Boudot describes '98 as a low-acid year, since two weeks of September rain sent potassium levels in the grapes up sharply. To retain freshness he blocked the malolactic fermentation in about 25% of his barrels. And the malos have proceeded slowly. Malic bacteria need nitrogen to do their work, explains Boudot, but because he did very little stirring of the lees the malic bacteria had less nitrogen to work with than usual. Still, the '98s will all be bottled by the end of November, or a few months earlier than usual for the grand crus. The pHs of '98 and '97 are actually practically the same, notes Boudot, but there about a half-gram per liter lower acidity in '98. Boudot did a lot of batonnage in 1997, as the lees were thoroughly clean. He compares this vintage to '92 and '85 in style; the '97s don't have huge gras he says, but they offer a nice balance of material and acidity. They will be pleasant wines at all stages of their evolution, Boudot predicts. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

This spring Gerard Boudot was concerned over sharply rising white Burgundy prices, and the possibility that recent history might repeat itself. "The prices paid to growers by negociants were up 40% for premier crus in '97, and 50% for the grand crus," said Boudot, who is himself a negociant "But in the crash that took place between 1989 and 1991, bulk prices plunged by nearly 60%." (Technically, the Sauzet estate sells its grapes to the negociant company, which can then vinify them with purchased grapes or must; in all, about two thirds of total production here is from estate fruit.) Boudot '96s are extremely firm wines that would appear to have long and bright futures. "They have a rather rigid spinal column," says Boudot. Yields were much higher than those of the previous vintage, but then Boudot is not a fan of tiny rendements "Chardonnay does not support over concentration," he maintains. "Look at the '89s and '95s. 1995 is almost too concentrated, too fat; these wines may get heavy and lose their fruit before they become pleasant to drink." Boudot describes '97 as in the style of '95 and '92, with the balance to age. He was one of a few winemakers who told me that the acidity levels were actually higher in his post malo '97s than in his '95s. Boudot was still stirring the lees of his '97s twice weekly at the end of May, as he was finding that the batonnage was still making the wines more aromatic without introducing off notes. The only real problem with 1997, Boudot maintains, was heat during the harvest: it was essential to have the equipment necessary to chill the grapes and the cellar. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

This spring Gerard Boudot was concerned over sharply rising white Burgundy prices, and the possibility that recent history might repeat itself. "The prices paid to growers by negociants were up 40% for premier crus in '97, and 50% for the grand crus," said Boudot, who is himself a negociant "But in the crash that took place between 1989 and 1991, bulk prices plunged by nearly 60%." (Technically, the Sauzet estate sells its grapes to the negociant company, which can then vinify them with purchased grapes or must; in all, about two thirds of total production here is from estate fruit.) Boudot '96s are extremely firm wines that would appear to have long and bright futures. "They have a rather rigid spinal column," says Boudot. Yields were much higher than those of the previous vintage, but then Boudot is not a fan of tiny rendements "Chardonnay does not support over concentration," he maintains. "Look at the '89s and '95s. 1995 is almost too concentrated, too fat; these wines may get heavy and lose their fruit before they become pleasant to drink." Boudot describes '97 as in the style of '95 and '92, with the balance to age. He was one of a few winemakers who told me that the acidity levels were actually higher in his post malo '97s than in his '95s. Boudot was still stirring the lees of his '97s twice weekly at the end of May, as he was finding that the batonnage was still making the wines more aromatic without introducing off notes. The only real problem with 1997, Boudot maintains, was heat during the harvest: it was essential to have the equipment necessary to chill the grapes and the cellar. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)