2014 Chevalier Montrachet La Cabotte

Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting, Bouchard's 2014 Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte Grand Cru has a much more tropical-driven bouquet with scents of mango and nectarine developing in lieu of the mineralité you would expect from this vintage. The palate is well balanced with a tropical-tinged entry and well-judged acidity, but maybe a Chevalier that was picked a bit too late like that of Olivier Leflaive? It needs more mineralité and race on the finish to be up there with the best.

Pale, bright yellow. Deeply pitched aromas of yellow peach, grapefruit pith, menthol and iodine. Larger-scaled and broader than the "regular" Chevalier-Montrachet (this plot is actually situated just above Bouchard's parcel in Montrachet--in the 19th century it was considered part of Montrachet--and thus typically displays characteristics of both of these grand crus), with strong, harmonious acidity framing and intensifying the wine's powerful peachy fruit. Doesn't yet show the mineral high notes of Bouchard's Chevalier-Montrachet classique , but this wine is more backward, brooding and weighty, and possesses plenty of underlying rocky minerality. Builds steadily on the chewy, solid finish. I underrated this wine last year.

(malo finished): Deep, iodiney aromas of ripe peach and clove complicated by high notes of lavender and fleur de sel . Huge, chewy and fat with fruit, with the stone fruit flavors accompanied by earth, spices and menthol. Doesn't show the floral or limey high notes of the regular Chevalier-Montrachet, though. Finishes with a trace of warmth. The very ripe years may not be best for this parcel.