2017 - Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchere, Henri Boillot

From an enclave within the premier cru Perrières, Boillot's 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère is utterly superb this year, wafting from the glass with aromas of lemon oil, mandarin orange, beeswax, iodine and subtle smoky reduction. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, satiny and layered, with striking volume and depth at the core, balanced by incisive acids that animate the long, mineral finish. Guillaume Boillot speculates that this monopole's comparative variety of mesoclimates and soil types lends the resulting wine greater complexity than would be the case with a small cuvée.

The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchère 1er Cru has a light bouquet of undergrowth and wet pavement, a little subdued at first but finding its voice with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, and there is some beautifully integrated oak here. Harmonious and poised with wonderful weight and precision toward the finish, where veins of white peach furnish the seductive aftertaste. Absolutely delicious. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.

Big and bold with great density. Massively concentrated and ambitious. A real attempt to earn the premium. (JR)