2009 Le Montrachet

(bottled in March): Greenish yellow. Musky aromas of clove, pineapple and smoky, vanillin oak. Large-scaled, rich and sweet if youthfully closed; with so much baby fat today, the middle palate comes across as less chiseled than that of the Perrieres, which is sexier today. Turns a bit leaner on the end, finishing with terrific grip and tension. This will require considerable patience so that it can find its balance in the bottle. Lafon still ages this wine in all new oak (the Perrieres gets 40% to 50%) but told me he may cut back the percentage of new barrels soon.

The 2009 Montrachet is just as glorious in bottle as it was from barrel. Layers of rich, expressive fruit caress the palate in this packed, deep wine. There is considerable power here, but the wine needs time in bottle to settle down a bit.

The 2009 Montrachet is just as glorious in bottle as it was from barrel. Layers of rich, expressive fruit caress the palate in this packed, deep wine. There is considerable power here, but the wine needs time in bottle to settle down a bit. Anticipated maturity: 2016+. Dominique Lafon's 2009s are just as stunning from bottle as they were when I tasted them in cask earlier this year. Lafon is one of the most thoughtful growers in Burgundy. Along with a group of his colleagues, Lafon is among the producers who has basically re-examined every aspect of the way he makes wine in response to the problem of premature oxidation. today's wines spend more time on their lees, but that is just one of many changes that have taken place here over the last few years. Except as noted, I tasted the 2009s from bottle. The 2009 Charmes, Perrieres and Montrachet were bottled in May, 2011. I also tasted all of the 2010s from barrel. The Meursault, Clos de la Barre and Goutte d-Or weren't showing well, while the Meursault premier crus and the Montrachet were all sublime. A Daniel Johnnes Selection, imported by Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300