2011 Saint-Aubin Les Champlots 1er Cru

It's always great to sit down with Pierre-Yves Colin and run through what has grown to be one of the most impressive collections in Burgundy. Unlike most of his colleagues, Colin prefers long elevage for his top wines, and strictly in oak. "Letting wines sit in steel for 6 months is not elevage" he adds emphatically. Colin prefers slightly larger 350 liter barrels for most of his wines. As impressive as the Colin Burgundies are, they do need quite a bit of air if opened young. The 2011s have come a long way since I tasted them last year. In 2011 the malos were done by the end of October, which is unheard of, the result of cellars that stayed warm in the weeks following the harvest. Today, the 2011s are striking. Some will drink well early, while others need a bit of bottle age. Otherwise, its hard to go wrong with any of these beautiful, handcrafted whites.