2009 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre

The 2009 Chablis Montee de Tonerre possesses considerable freshness and focus. Clean saline notes meld into white flowers and smoke in this textured, precise Chablis, one of the most harmonious of the premier crus here. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. Patrick Piuze’s resume includes stints with Olivier Leflaive, Jean-Marie Guffens and Domaine Brocard. A desire for more of a hands-on approach in all facets of winemaking led Piuze to start his own micro-negociant operation a few years ago. All of the wines are fermented with ambient yeasts and are aged on their lees in steel and neutral oak with no batonnage. Of the premier crus, the Vaillons, Forets and Butteaux are aged entirely in oak, as are all of the grand crus. The wines go through full malolactic fermentation. Stylistically, the wines lean towards the Cote d’Or in terms of their personalities. In 2009, Piuze began picking on September 14, earlier than normal, and the wines also went into bottle early (before the 2010 harvest), both with the aim of trying to maintain as much freshness as possible. About 50% of the wines are aged in neutral oak. Some of the gems in this lineup are in the entry-level offerings, where there may be less competition for higher quality fruit than in some of the more prestigious sites within Chablis. I was only able to taste one 2010, as the rest of the wines had not yet been bottled at the time of my visit. I also sampled a number of 2008s, including the Vaucoupin, Vaillons, Blanchots and Les Clos, all of which were very pretty. Various American importers, including: David Bowler Wine, New York, NY; (212) 807-1680 and Aliane Wines, La Jolla, CA; tel. (858) 361-4529

Pale yellow-gold. Sexy aromas of orange blossom, menthol and toasty lees. Fresh and punchy, with captivating mineral and wet stone flavors complicated by a leesy quality and showing a nice touch of sweetness. Really clings on the subtle, saline, vibrant aftertaste. Not a particularly austere wine but I'd still give it a couple of years in the cellar. Lovely soil tones here.

Lightly honeyed nose. Quite fine and intense with a mineral backdrop and real complexity although the ripeness is deceptive and suggests one could almost wolf it down now. Delicately laced. (JR)