2020 Maison Louis Jadot, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Les Demoiselles

The king of the cellar on the white side of the ledger is the 2020 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Les Demoiselles (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot), a striking wine that unfurls in the glass with notes of citrus oil, white flowers, buttered popcorn, chalky soil tones, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, multidimensional and layered, it's muscular and concentrated, with racy acids, an abundance of structuring dry extract and a long, resonant finish. It is worth a special effort to seek out.

The 2020 Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Grand Cru lacks definition on the nose, almost smudged at first, with traces of oxidation. The palate is sour on the entry, has modest weight and is a bit clumsy on the mid-palate, especially when compared to its peers. It is disappointing, given the class, mainly because of some drying oak on the finish. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Cask sample. Smells both luxuriously deep – creamy, leesy, oatmeal – and intensely fresh. Not quite as deep as I expected on the palate. Balanced, full of citrus, very pure, and builds in the mouth. Very long finish. (JH)