1996 Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot

Displaying earthy mineral scents, the Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot is a creamy-textured and medium-to-full-bodied offering filled with ripe pears, toasted hazelnuts and stones. This excellent wine lingers on the palate, revealing appealing layers of crisp white peaches and minerals. Projected maturity: 1999-2004. Like many other growers (particularly I find in Chassagne-Montrachet), the Pillots are both an estate and a negociant. All of the domaine's 1996s were bottled prior to the 1997 harvest, and, unlike many estates represented by Patrick Lesec, there are no special bottlings of these wines. Pillot's village wines, while well-made suffer from appearing overly commercial. This estate seems to be experimenting with a variety of winemaking techniques. For example, the Chassagne Chenevottes was fermented solely with indigenous yeasts and the Puligny Caillerets was bottled unfiltered. A Patrick Lesec Selection, French Fax 011-33-1-44-70-62-93, various importers, and in Massachusetts: Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; tel (617) 731-6644.