2012 Puligny Montrachet

Ripe, fragrant citrus. Mouthwatering, moderate intensity, clean and crisp and correct. (JH)

The 2012 Puligny-Montrachet Village comes from plots of vine within Les Corvees, Les Meix, Les Houillieres, and Noyer Bret. It has a fragrant, leesy bouquet with touches of dried yellow flowers and peach skin. It just needs to gain a little more delineation. The palate is well balanced with a crisp opening, drops away a little in the mid-palate but comes back nicely on the taut citric finish. I have long admired the wines of this Maranges-based producer who have a knack of producing taut, linear, mineral-driven wines that are as intellectual as they are pleasurable. This was my first trip south to small village of Dezize-les-Maranges where I met Marc and Alex Bachelet who escorted me over to a separate tasting room. The brothers established the domaine back in 2005 with the aid of their father and uncle after honing their craft overseas and today they farm 20-hectares of both their own vines and rented vineyards. The tenets here are quite simple: no herbicides in the vineyard with regular ploughing to aerate the soil; early picking to capture acidity, long pressing, small deboubagement, natural ferments and around 20 to 30% new oak. Maturation is in large 350-litre barrels in order to make fresher wines for keeping, and their policy is for less oxygen during elevage, eschewing batonnage. The wines usually age for one year in barrel and they are then racked into stainless steel on the lees for 8 months and bottled in April. Their Puligny-based wines take center stage: a thrilling set that really get to the heart of the terroir, razor sharp wines that walk in their kitten heels instead of boots. But do not overlook their Santenay Blanc or their fabulous Maranges La Fussiere that doubtless represents outstanding value. Importer: Vintage 59, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 966-9218. Also available from various merchants in the UK (BBR, Bibendum, Justerini& Brooks and Tanners.)

(cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare): Bright yellow-green. Very pure nose offers peach, mace and nutmeg. Less powerful on the attack than the Chassagne and higher-pitched in the middle, offering an intriguing note of linden flower. Finishes perfumed and fine, with a firm edge and good subtle floral persistence. In a distinctly airy style.