2016 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Clos de la Maltroie 1er Cru

The 2016 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Maltroie is a pretty, charming wine that displays attractive aromas of white flowers, hazelnut cream, green pear and a touch of wheat toast. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, juicy and vibrant, with a glossy attack and a bright, delicate profile.

Bright, light-medium straw-yellow. Less fruits and flowers on the nose than the village wine, with more rocky character and even a whiff of petrol. Then suppler in the mouth but still a bit edgy despite its superior stuffing, conveying limited sweetness and a slightly spiky character to its mineral and menthol flavors. Niellon has four different vine ages here, with the youngest ones the most productive in 2017, taking the average yield for this wine to 38 hectoliters per hectare.

Bright yellow. Ripe pear and peach aromas and flavors are complicated by spices, menthol and honey. The most tightly wound and energetic of these premier crus if a bit smaller-scaled than some of them, displaying very good balance and clarity of flavor. Also the longest on the aftertaste, finishing with hints of anise and fresh herbs. This fruit was picked at 11.9% potential alcohol.