1995 Batard Montrachet

A bit fat, flabby and lacking lift. Perhaps just past its best? (JR)

Sometimes I think Domaine Sauzet is the reference point for Batard Montrachet. Top vintages of Sauzet's Batard exhibit a trademark deep, dense, almost sultry fruitiness. The 1995 is no exception. A muted (from the recent bottling) but super-deep nose precedes a monster wine with huge, concentrated and extracted roasted fruit, buttressed by fabulous flavors of toasted nuts, and very good length. Produced from 30+-year old vines and aged in 50% new oak, this full-bodied blockbuster should have no trouble aging for 15+ years. The wine was bottled three days prior to my visit. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. An asterisk indicates that the wine was produced from vineyards owned by this domaine. No asterisk indicates that the wine was produced from purchased fruit, must, or wine. Boudot believes that what characterizes his lower and medium level wines in the 1995 vintage is abundant concentrated, dry extract fruit - without great balancing acid...I agree. He is extremely excited about the '96s, saying they "exhibit phenomenally concentrated fruit and great balancing acid. " Importer: Vineyard Brands, Chester, VT; tel (802) 875-2139.