2011 Domaine Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru

Bright greenish yellow. Aromas of buttery peach, citrus fruit, white flowers and noble herbs. Dense, sweet and lively, offering an enticing sugar/acid balance and lovely perfumed lift. Not as exuberant as usual for this cuvee at this stage but its harmonious acidity and underlying minerality lend grip to the finish and extend the wine's brisk flavors.

The 2011 Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres boasts gorgeous balance between the richness of the fruit and mineral notes. Crystalline notes appear on the mid-palate, adding brightness and focus. The finish shows wonderful intensity and focus in the understated Pernot style. This is soft and restrained, but also quite long. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. Pernot bottled all of the 2011s in late June, the earliest I know of in Burgundy, especially for the higher-end appellations. Because of the early harvest, the fermentations were done quickly. The wines were racked into tank in March for fining, where they stayed until they were bottled. This is a very pretty set of 2011s that offers considerable early appeal. Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334-8191