2014 Bernard Moreau, Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru, Les Grandes Ruchottes

Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting, Moreau's 2014 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes has a more floral and expressive bouquet than Marc Morey's En Virondot, offering scents of yellow flower, linden, honeysuckle and just a faint whiff of crème brûlée. The palate is very well balanced with crisp acidity, gentle at first but gaining momentum in the mouth. I love the strand of acidity interwoven into this Chassagne-Montrachet and the detail displayed on the finish. This is an impressive showing from winemaker Alex Moreau, but aren't we all getting used to that now?

(from vines planted in 1939 and 1940, which Alexandre describes as the only estate vines his father Bernard did not plant): Pale, bright yellow. Candied fruits and spices on the nose; less citrussy than the Caillerets. Full and broad but not overly sweet; essentially silky in texture but this will need time to fill in. Finishes quite dry, with sneaky length--and yet the Caillerets strikes me as more energetic and primary. A good proportion of these very old vines are planted on what Moreau described as feeble rootstock and will be pulled up soon. The crop level here was just 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2014.