2017 Domaine Faiveley, Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Faiveley's 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is showing very well, unfurling in the glass with notes of Anjou pear, white peach, orange oil, white flowers and an elegant top note of nutmeg. On the palate, it's full-bodied, satiny and supple, with lively acids, excellent concentration and a precise finish. This is a beautifully balanced Bâtard that represents a decidedly elegant interpretation of this sometimes hulking and massive Grand Cru.

The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a more introspective bouquet compared to the Bienvenue, perhaps more malic, with a subtle, almost algal scent. The palate is very precise, maybe a bit "meaner" and more Chablis-like than the Bienvenue, but almost Zen-like toward the finish. It does not have the charm of the Bienvenues and frankly, it isn’t trying to. This is more a cerebral, terroir-driven wine.

Pale yellow. Inexpressive and backward on the nose but quite pure, hinting at pineapple, white peach, citrus peel and menthol. Then juicy and penetrating in the mouth, conveying a stronger impression of acidity and salinity than the Bienvenue; this wine is more floral, while the Bienvenue shows more lemon and mandarin orange fruitiness. Here the easy fruit is already disappearing and the terroir is beginning to emerge owing to a very early malolactic fermentation (in January), but this powerful, sappy grand cru will need time to evolve in bottle.

Cask sample. Creamy and so rich on the nose, drawing you in. Mealy and spiced. Deep, tangy and so fresh. Huge power here, embryonic but with fabulous potential. (JH)