2001 - Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Leflaive

Leflaive's 2001 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru emerged as one of the real sleepers of this tasting, bursting from the glass with an expressive and botrytis-inflected bouquet that mingles scents of grilled peaches and confit citrus with nuances of barley sugar, petrol and freshly baked bread. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, with excellent depth at the core, impressive vibrancy and a long, precise finish. Like the 2000 Chevalier, the more concentrated 2001 is in its plenitude of expression and makes for immensely pleasurable drinking, though readers with a lower tolerance for botrytis-derived exotica—something that, within limits, I tend to embrace as a facet of vintage expression—will like it less than I did. By the numbers, the 2001 boasts 13.66% alcohol and a pH of 3.40.

The 2001 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru has a subdued nose at first, opening with aeration to reveal mature, honeyed fruit, touches of peach skin and lanolin, sporting a very clever reduction. The palate has good depth and seems a little honeyed in style with marmalade and quince. Maybe it just misses a bit of tension? It is quite a delicious wine, but it is not one I would be keen to cellar long-term. Tasted at Alino's dinner at La Trompette.