2007 Puligny-Montrachet

Pernot picked his chardonnay quite late in 2008, from September 26 through October 5, and is convinced that his neighbors harvested too early, before their fruit was ripe. He waited and eventually got his highest grape sugars ever (14% to 14.5%-even higher than those of 2006), but maintained that the grapes did not lose acidity. The top 2008s here were indeed impressive. Of course, Pernot's wines are generally easy to taste in late spring, as the malos are normally early and the wines have generally been racked weeks before my annual visit. (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; also brought into the U.S. as a Peter Vezan Selection and through Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs)

Pernot started harvesting chardonnay on September 2 in 2007 but stopped four times and didn't finish until September 15. He reported that yields were higher than those of 2006-in fact as high as 2004's. But he considers the new crop of wines to be more fleshy and more elegant than the '04s. Pernot says he picked too late in 2006 (some of his Bourgogne blanc came in with potential alcohol of 15.6%!), and describes these wines as "not my style. They are exotic wines that can be drunk early." He went on: "The 2005s, like wines from all great years, are closing down in bottle." (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; also brought into the U.S. as a Peter Vezan Selection and through Domaines et Saveurs/Jeanne-Marie de Champs) Also recommended: Puligny-Montrachet (85).