2003 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
Slightly oily aromas of pear, wet stone and spices. Spicy and sweet, with sound, ripe acidity giving the concentrated flavors very good clarity and thrust. Finishes with good subtle persistence. This is distinctly firmer and more convincing than a sample I tasted from barrel a year ago.
Critic scores
Pierre Rovani
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
There is lovely aromatic depth to the liqueur of mineral and spice-laden nose of the 2003 Chevalier-Montrachet (white). Toasted nuts, smoky minerals, spices, and hints of oak can be detected in its lush personality. This velvety-textured wine is medium-bodied, well-balanced, and has admirable depth yet reveals a slight alcoholic warmth in the finish that prevented an outstanding score. Projected maturity: now-2011. Importer: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company., New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400
As it usually does, this possesses the most elegant nose of the range with wonderfully complex and subtle spicy gorgeous white flower fruit aromas framed by a background note of vanilla and pain grillé that perfectly complements the concentrated but precise medium full flavors where the usually prominent minerality is somewhat muted. This is a good deal more powerful than it normally is but there is outstanding depth and serious length. In short, fans of this wine will not find what they normally do but it's still most impressive, just different.
Musky, slightly reduced aromas of pineapple, honey, flowers and stone. The fattest and sweetest of these 2003s, with the richest texture. But still not especially intense or gripping, and a bit blowsy and warm for this great grand cru. Finishes with smoky low tones.
About the producer
From the heart of Chassagne-Montrachet, Domaine Michel Niellon embodies generations of craftsmanship and Burgundian finesse, producing elegant, terroir-driven wines from just 8 hectares.