The Drouhin 2007 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche is the first rendition of this well-known bottling to indicate its vineyard of origin (granted that “Morgeot” actually functions more as a collective vineyard) on the label, with “1er Cru,” as before, in minuscule letters. Smoked meat, musk, pepper, and ocean spray notes in the nose remind one of the ways in which Cote d’Or Chardonnay can resemble Pinot. A correspondingly meaty sense of substantiality and broth-like sense or richness follow on the palate, albeit with sappy ripe white peach and tart hints of red berries rising to prominence as well. (This wine's strong senses of amplitude and ripeness, incidentally, are scarcely traceable to its alcohol, which is only 13.3%.) This finishes with forceful grip if less finesse than other Drouhin 2007s, its lush fruit and texture off set by prominent salinity, peppery pungency, and carnal depth. I would anticipate it being worth following from at least 6-7 years. Veronique Drouhin-Boss expressed enormous – and, in my view, justifiable – satisfaction with the 2007 crop of Drouhin whites, admitting that their sense of concentration might strike some observers as paradoxical given the vintage’s relatively high yields. Regular batonnage seems to have been a successful policy here, at least as judged by flattering textures and overt richness (almost atypically so for the vintage) short-term. For an account of Drouhin’s Chablis from 2007, consult the separate report on that region in this issue. Importer: Dreyfus-Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818 0770

3 2 The magnificent wines from the Marquis de Laguiche estate are produced by Joseph Drouhin. This Morgeot is rich, intense, beautifully concentrated. It has toast, apricot and peach fruits to go with its tight mineral texture. Delicious now, but will age for many years. ——R.V.(5/1/2011)—— 95