2008 Bouchard Pere et Fils, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

This is a classic example of Corton-Charlemagne with its impressively layered floral, green fruit, lime and stone-infused nose that precedes citrusy, precise and powerful mineral-driven flavors that possess real muscle on the almost painfully intense and steely finish that delivers striking length. While it's not quite as great as the Montrachet, it easily holds its own. A wine to own but note that only the patient will ever see it at its best as this is likely to evolve glacially.

Pale bright yellow Knockout high-pitched nose seduces with scents of violet, lavender, lemon, crushed stone, mint, cinnamon and ginger; this could be bottled as perfume. Then wonderfully rich, pure and deep but youthfully tight, with compelling aromatic lift to the citrus, spice and mineral flavors. Really explosively rich but somehow weightless. Finishes with superb length and aromatic class. I'd lay this down for five to seven years. In recent years, this has been a consistently spectacular grand cru-and a relative value.

Direct, determined, serious. Rather hidden at the moment but a good deal more to come from this closed book. (JH)