2012 Chassagne Montrachet

The 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet Village has a crisp, understated nose that is all about precision rather than power, teasingly introducing gunflint and citrus peel aromas with time. The palate is well-balanced and surpasses the complexity you would expect from a village cru. The acidity is perfectly judged, and there is a wonderful flinty, more Puligny-like, finish full of nervosite. Recommended. Drink now-2020. There are so many branches of the Moreau family in Chassagne that it can get confusing, but Domaine Bernard Moreau is one of the best. Bernard’s sons, Benoit and Alexandre Moreau, represent the fourth generation of the family since 2000 who have farmed the family’s 14 hectares of vines scattered over 13 appellations, the former tending to be out in the vines and the latter in the winery. Work in the vineyard is conducted under the lines of lutte raisonee. I reviewed three of their 2012 releases in Issue 211 of The Wine Advocate, and I had the opportunity to add another three 2012s that confirmed the pedigree of their wines. Picked from September 18, Alex told me that yields had fallen drastically, by about 50%, and the concentration is tangible in their wines. Expect further investigation in future issues because these wines are top-drawer. Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1461; and through various importers in the UK.