2007 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

In 2008, Pillot started picking his aligote on September 24 at 12.4% potential alcohol but two days later the lab told him to harvest quickly as the grape sugars were rising too fast. By the end of the harvest, potential alcohol levels had reached 13.4%. "In 2008 we needed to wait, then pick quickly," he summarized, "while in 2007 we needed to start early but then take our time." Pillot finds more richness and gras in his young 2008s but a bit less acidity than in the wines from the previous vintage. For him, they may resemble 2006 more than 2007. Still, because the grapes were still green during the worst of the August rain, Pillot's chardonnay avoided botrytis and the wines were easy to make. Incidentally, Pillot bottled his 2007s in April of this year after leaving them in cuve since last September to stabilize. "Even in December the wines were completely hermetic, but they were transformed by March," he explained. "This is a cutting millesime du reve, built to age," he went on. "The 2008s have surprising acidity but they will still be for drinking before the 2007s."