2010 Chevalier Montrachet la Cabotte, 1,5 l Bouchard

Mineral, almost steely nose. Then lovely citrus fruit density on the palate, enveloping the spicy oak effect. Firm, almost a little chewy at the moment. Beautifully balanced and rich and long to the very end. (JH)

(the malo finished just a couple weeks prior to my visit): Ineffable aromas of stone, lavender and white truffle. Densely packed and less evolved than the "regular" Chevalier-Montrachet. This conveys a strong impression of acidity and stoniness too but is showing less definition today. Finishes chewy, tactile and dry, with a light appley quality and excellent balance and length.

Here the nose displays noticeable sulfur and it's enough to knock down the expressiveness of the otherwise attractively ripe and complex aromas that are compositionally similar to those of the Chevalier. The textured, concentrated and overtly muscular flavors brim with an abundance of dry extract before concluding in an explosively long, mouth coating and almost painfully intense finish. As is often the case, the 2010 La Cabotte displays characteristics of both the Montrachet and the Chevalier and this is one beautiful wine. Note that I do not expect the sulfur to be an issue as the wine ages though if you're tempted to try a bottle young it would be good to decant it first. Jun 2012, www.burghound.com, Drink: 2020+