Montrachet, Etienne Sauzet 2007

This is ever-so-slightly riper and less restrained aromatically than the Chevalier with a densely fruited nose offering lightly spiced pear, white peach, lemon-lime and a hint of honeysuckle plus a touch of clove and anise that merge seamlessly into concentrated, powerful and weighty flavors that are not massive but they are focused, well-muscled and impressively scaled all the same and culminate in a superbly complex and deep finish that reminds me a lot of the 2002 version as it seems to come in wave after palate drenching wave. This is not as elegant and pure as the Chevalier but it somehow manages to deliver yet another dimension. In sum, an absolute knockout. Amazingly, this rivals the '93 as the best Montrachet Sauzet has ever made, and anyone who has tasted a well-stored bottle knows that is high praise.

Boudot's 2007 Montrachet represents juice of 50 year old vines that he buys and raises, and I wonder whether to consider the sensational results more a tribute to the inherent quality of this site or to the degree of control he is able to exercise. Musk, daffodil, honeysuckle, lily, nut oils, and brown spices make for a head-turning aromatic display and ally themselves to succulent peach and Persian melon on a silken, palpably thick and dense, yet elegantly-expressive, energy-charged palate. For sheer length, too, this perfectly-proportional wine edges out even the Chevalier-Montrachet. I'm so used to it being the other way around in instances where these two sites can be directly compared that this demonstration of quality amazes me, even allowing for a centuries-long tradition of hype. This ought to be worth following for more than a decade.