Top 2002 White Burgundy

96(+?) points. Extremely pure, subtle aromas of grapefruit, lime oil and powdered stone; less smoky and more ethereal than the Valmur. Then extremely backward and rather inexpressive on the palate but already demonstrating extraordinary palate coverage and power. Like li... more

96(+?) points. Extremely pure, subtle aromas of grapefruit, lime oil and powdered stone; less smoky and more ethereal than the Valmur. Then extremely backward and rather inexpressive on the palate but already demonstrating extraordinary palate coverage and power. Like liquid stone in the mouth, but only hinting at the kaleidoscope of flavors to come with eight to ten years, or more, of bottle aging. A wine of incredible solidity; 30 seconds after spitting this wine (okay, swallowing it), I felt it was still in my mouth. Comparable in complexity, quality and structure to a great bottle of Le Montrachet.

96 points. Taut, vibrant aromas of grapefruit, apple, pear, and powdered and wet stone. A great expression of rocks in the mouth, with extremely pure flavors of grapefruit and lemon. Conveys a powerful impression of sweetness allied to sheer energy. Fabulous, consistent ... more

96 points. Taut, vibrant aromas of grapefruit, apple, pear, and powdered and wet stone. A great expression of rocks in the mouth, with extremely pure flavors of grapefruit and lemon. Conveys a powerful impression of sweetness allied to sheer energy. Fabulous, consistent wine with near-perfect balance and extraordinary length. As penetrating as it is today, I would not describe this wine as austere.

97(+?) points. Subdued, refined aromas of peach, lemon peel, orange, stone and vanillin oak. Wonderfully suave on entry, then demonstrates pure grand cru class in the middle palate, with brilliantly delineated peach and citrus flavors lifted by crushed stone and minerals... more

97(+?) points. Subdued, refined aromas of peach, lemon peel, orange, stone and vanillin oak. Wonderfully suave on entry, then demonstrates pure grand cru class in the middle palate, with brilliantly delineated peach and citrus flavors lifted by crushed stone and minerals. A wine with great power and cut and yet almost magically light on its feet. Goes on and on on the back end; due to its palate-drenching extract, it's hard to get this wine off your palate (but that's no complaint!). The production was a healthy 45 hectoliters per hectare in 2002, notes Coche, who added that the grapes in Perrieres and in Narvaux were as perfect as he's ever seen them. In 2003, in contrast, his hillside parcels in Meursault yielded between 18 and 25 hectoliters per hectare. A personal favorite among the 2002s I tasted this spring.

96(+?) points. Pure, high-pitched aromas of lime, lemon, grapefruit and powdered stone. Then as extraordinarily fresh in the mouth as on the nose; the wine's strong acids and powerful minerality give it great penetration and serve to intensify the citrus and stone flavor... more

96(+?) points. Pure, high-pitched aromas of lime, lemon, grapefruit and powdered stone. Then as extraordinarily fresh in the mouth as on the nose; the wine's strong acids and powerful minerality give it great penetration and serve to intensify the citrus and stone flavors. It's hard to find an '02 more incisive than this, which is high praise indeed. Wonderfully subtle, slow-building finish coats the mouth with powdered stone. Outstanding wine. (Unfortunately, my sample of the regular Chevalier-Montrachet, which was in an oxidative phase when I tasted it from barrel a year ago, was corked. )