1997 Le Montrachet

This is a terrific showing from the 1997 Montrachet, a wine that at times can be quite phenolic in its sense of structure. Here the flavors are rich and creamy throughout, with more than enough depth to soften some of the firmer contours the 1997 can show. Open-knit and expressive, with a lovely sense of enveloping generosity, the 1997 is an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Hints of orange peel, butter and pastry add the closing shades of nuance. This is the most polished, delicate bottle of the 1997 I have tasted. The Chardonnay ripened late and was brought in on September 27, four days after the Pinots had been harvested.

In this flight the 1997 Montrachet is a bit four square, in relative terms, of course. The overall sensation is of a phenolic, very Pinot-like intensity. There is plenty of depth in the glass, but the 1997 is not especially showy today. Perhaps a few more years in bottle will help the wine come together a little more fully. The overall impression is of a push and pull, with all the ups and downs of the vintage totally captured in the glass. In 1997, the growing season got off to an early start. Conditions were uneven throughout the year, especially during what turned out to be a long and drawn out flowering that lasted three weeks (compared to 2002, where flowering lasted three days!), which resulted in varying levels of ripeness throughout the bunches. August was quite warm, which caused the vines to shut down until late August, when rain brought the plants back into balance. The Chardonnay would not be picked until September 29, after all the Pinots and very late for Chardonnay.