2009 Batard Montrachet

The 2009 Batard-Montrachet is wonderfully layered, fresh and vibrant. It possesses remarkable tension and focus, with layers of fruit that flow effortlessly from its focused, mid-weight frame. All sorts of slate and crushed rocks wrap around the intense finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Vincent Girardin is among the producers who have made the most dramatic changes in response to the issue of premature oxidation. Girardin has increased the amount of time his wines spend on their lees, has lowered new oak, has eliminated batonnage and has basically re-built his entire approach from the bottom up, which I have to say, is quite impressive. The 2009s were harvested beginning on September 15, with natural alcohols in the 12.5-13% range. The wines were bottled between mid-March and mid-May 2011. Today the 2009s are quite fresh and still showing some of the effects of their recent bottling. It is safe to say the wines Girardin is making today are quite different from those of the past. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Hazy pale yellow. Musky white peach and citrus peel dominate the nose. Rich, dense and packed with fruit; fat and tactile but not overly sweet. With its subtle notes of flowers and minerals, this grand cru shows more inner-mouth energy than the Bienvenue. Finishes broad, smooth and long, with lovely sweetness of fruit.

The 2009 Batard-Montrachet is wonderfully layered, fresh and vibrant. It possesses remarkable tension and focus, with layers of fruit that flow effortlessly from its focused, mid-weight frame. All sorts of slate and crushed rocks wrap around the intense finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Aug 2011, www.robertparker.com