2007 Domaine Paul Pernot Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Musky, decadently floral, nose-wrinkling spice, and ripe pit-fruited notes rise from the glass of Pernot’s 2007 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet. Almond paste, lightly toasted hazelnut, poached peach, candied orange rind, and brown spices inform a rich palate, whose impressive persistence preserves the senses of refreshment, energy, and lift characteristic of the best wines of this vintage. Nor are myriad mineral notes missing here, either. It will be fascinating to compare this wine’s evolution with that of the next-door Les Pucelles over the coming decade. Veteran Paul Pernot followed up his superb though alcoholically outsized 2006s with an equally impressive collection of 2007s that he characterizes as more generous than but in many respects similar to his 2004s. He harvested most of his Chardonnay between the 6th and mid September. This site north of Folatieres is monopolized by Pernot and the Jadot-owned Duc de Magenta domaine. Various import agents, including Jeanne Marie de Champs Selection, Domaines et Saveurs, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-25-04-81 and Peter Vezan, Paris; fax 011 33 1 42 55 42 93; as well as various independent importers including Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334 8191