2006 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Girardin told me he loves the 2004 whites for their outstanding typicity. "The ripest 2007s will be in a similar style," he went on, "but there's the risk that high-yielding parcels will produce wines with a hole in the middle." Girardin picked chardonnay between September 5 and 14 (he began with pinot noir on August 26!) and told me none of the grand crus were chaptalized (they are now carrying 12.8% to 13% alcohol). Many of the 2007s had recently been racked at the time of my visit but were returned to used barrels, as Girardin planned to do a long elevage. "The 2007 grapes were ripe even if they're lower in alcohol than usual," said Girardin, explaining that he's trying to get more complexity through extended aging on the lees. Girardin continues to purchase chardonnay vineyards, having added six hectares of vines in 2007 (he now owns 22). (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)

Girardin began picking his Puligny grand crus early in 2006, on September 15, and told me that there was a very narrow window for harvesting ripe but fully healthy fruit. In contrast, he was a late picker in 2005. Girardin doesn't crush the grapes, pressing them gently "like in Champagne." Although he kept a lot of lees with the wines in '06, he did "not a single batonnage." Girardin told me that the '05s have higher levels of dry extract than the '06s but that the '06s show more breed and more "terroir identity." They also have good aging potential."They'll need four or five years to express themselves," he said. My tasting of the line-up of '06s suggested that although the '05s may be richer, the newer set of wines are more taut and rigorous. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL)