2008 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Ruchottes 1er Cru

The 2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Ruchottes from the Domaine Ramonet is exceptional, opening in the glass with a lovely bouquet of crisp green orchard fruit, drawn butter, apricot pit and almond cream. On the palate, the wine is glossy and full-bodied, its elegant textural creaminess underwritten by a bright—even racy—line of acidity, its finish long and penetrating. It's hard to say whether 2008 or 2010 is the more successful vintage chez Ramonet, but based on several bottles of this superb 2008 that I enjoyed in March, I'm beginning to incline toward the former.