2011 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

Pillot, who believes that "premox is over," at least for him, told me that since 2005 he has changed everything."For starters, all elevage is now for 18 months, which helps to stabilize the wines," he told me at the end of May."And the wines are no longer 'too good young'."Pillot bottles with 35 to 40 ppm free sulfur, and 100 total, noting that his sulfur additions are mostly during the first months in tank, with less needed at the bottling stage.Following the "chiseled, diamond-like 2010s," Pillot feared that the 2011s would be too fat, but the last six months in cuve, he said, "gave tension to the wines, with the toasty vanilla side disappearing."Pillot describes the 2012s as "a very small and concentrated crop, with the vines producing just two or three bunches of grapes.They will be opulent wines."Most of the 2012s were chaptalized and acidity and pH levels are sound, he said, adding that "the thick skins saved the grapes from maladies, and there wasn't a lot of juice in the grapes."Pillot compared his 2012s to his 2009s, "but with more vivacity."

Pillot believes that the 2011 whites will age well, "but not like the 2010s.They're more like 2008 than 2007 but are a bit lower in acidity than the '08s."Pillot harvested during the first seven days of September, pointing out that ambient temperatures were very hot for the first three days (with afternoon temperatures well up into the mid-80s).He told me that he picked most of his premier crus with 12.5% to 13% potential alcohol, and the Clos Saint-Marc with 13.5%!The 2011s, he says, are carrying about 1.5 to 2.0 grams per liter of residual sugar, explaining that "the high-acid years like 2010 always finish drier."Pillot de-leafs in June on the morning side of the vines and beginning in 2011 pulled leaves on the other side just five days before starting to harvest.He credits this additional pass through the vines for helping him avoid rot in 2011.Don't miss this producer's outstanding 2010s.