2017 Joseph Drouhin, Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru, La Garenne

The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 1er Cru, which was taken from cask, has a delightful array of scents: orange blossom, hints of apricot and crushed stone, turning quite floral with continued aeration. The palate is very well balanced, displaying walnut and smoke on the entry, and quite flinty in style, maybe just lacking the complexity of the Meursault Charmes toward the finish.

The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne wafts from the glass with notes of juicy apples, pastry cream, sweet spices and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and open-knit, with succulent acids and a charming, front-loaded profile that will give pleasure on release.

The aroma gives away that this is a cask sample. Pear fruit, but lacks a little on the palate. Broad but not a lot of energy. Powerful and long but does not have the elegance of some of the other Drouhin 2017s. (JH)