1989 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er Cru

The best value of all of Niellon's wines is his 1989 Chassagne-Montrachet-Les Vergers, which would show well in a tasting of grands crus. Its honeyed, tropical fruit richness offers up aromas of pineapples, nuts, vanillin, and tangerines. In the mouth, there is sensational ripeness, surprisingly good acidity for such a large-scaled wine, and spectacular length. Niellon made phenomenal 1985s and 1986s, but his 1989s might ultimately eclipse even those two exceptional vintages. There is no doubting that these wines possess decadent levels of fruit and an almost syrupy viscosity. They are so overwhelmingly rich and opulent, they could easily be compared with some of the greatest white burgundies made in the last decade. Since Niellon only uses about 25% new oak, the emphasis in all his wines is vivid purity and intensity of fruit. Importer: Chateau and Estates, New York, NY.