2002 Chassagne-Montrachet

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)