2006 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru

Pillot picked his Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot vines on September 1, then busied himself with pinot noir before recommencing with chardonnay again on the 5th. Grape sugars in the premier crus were in the range of 12% to 12.5% and Pillot chaptalized these wines to 13%-13.2%, pointing out that he needed to add sugar because the fermentations, though they went quickly, were inefficient in 2007. "Two thousand seven is not like any other year," said Pillot. "We had full flowering by May 18 and started picking 102 days later. The vines had a normal vegetative cycle, yet the fruit retained firm acidity, which is rare. In 2006, in contrast, we should have picked earlier-before 100 days."

Like a number of his neighbors in Chassagne-Montrachet, Pillot did not begin harvesting chardonnay in 2006 until September 20, as he believed that even three days earlier the grapes were not yet sufficiently ripe. He describes '06 as "a mysterious year," with the wines possessing low pHs, sound acidity and high sugars. "I've never seen quite this combination of firm spinal column and full ripeness," he summarized. Pillot uses a maximum of one-third new oak for his premier crus, and 50% for his Chevalier-Montrachet. Note that the domain wines here are labeled Jean Pillot et Fils. Pillot's style has evolved in recent years, with his choice of picking dates, his approach to elevage, and the timing and quantity of sulfur additions now aimed at producing vins de garde. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY) Also recommended: Saint-Romain La Perriere (86).