WTN: Leflaive, Henschke HOG, Bourillon Dorleans

Last night with the folks, just back from another of their regular overseas jaunts, Anne-Claude Leflaive's brilliant 2000 Puligny-Montrachet 1er cru "Clavoillin", followed by a very mature but outstanding bottle of 1984 Henshke Hill of Grace with mains of beef eye fillet and vegetable shaslicks, potato bake and sauteed mushrooms, and, to round things out, a superb offering from Bourillon Dorleans to accompany baked individual apple tarts topped with fresh raspberries - their wonderful Vouvray Tris de Nobles Grains Moelleux from 1990.

The Leflaive desecrates the notion that older white Burgundy's are riddled with the "pox" (please excuse my take on the term "premature oxidation" - I have great trouble using the abbreviation "premox"). This wine has several years of development in front of it, although one could be excused for drinking any remaining bottles for any good reason today - it's that good. This wine's appearance belies its years, a bright light lemony gold. The bouquet - superbly constructed; fresh and perfectly honed, loaded with gorgeous ripe mineral-infused Chardonnay fruit and similarly impressive oak barrel contact. In the mouth, it holds a brilliant line, is still relatively taut, although incredibly expressive and so attractive to taste with nigh-on perfect structure and balance, finishing with astute grip to produce an exceptional vinous package. 95 points. Wow!

Likewise, the Hill of Grace did not disappoint, but could not compete, qualitatively, with the otherworldly Leflaive. Heavy brick-red, fully mature colour with an ethereal nose of old books, aged saddle leather, cigar box and lovely preserved plum fruit, this iconic label impressed more so on the palate with a supreme elegance, wonderful integration of creamy old fruit and subtle oak followed by an indefatigable finish. Probably just a "few" past its best, one cannot detract from the sheer class of this wine. 91 points.

The sweet Bourillon Dorleans chenin blanc was simply "delish" - very advanced deep burnished gold but remarkably fresh bouquet delivering lush baked apple and pear fruit. The palate no less impressive with decadent flavour but held together by a brilliantly focussed line and almost impossibly good acid balance. A tour de force of sweet winemaking, this wine was as long as the night and will continue to drink superbly for perhaps another five to ten years but probably needs to be closely monitored with the worrisome colour development. 93 points.

Thanks for the evocative notes, David. In the absence of pox, a 2000 1er cru from a good grower should by no means be old. Indeed I think that the ability to take on incredibly subtle nuances after 10 years or so whilst remaining fresh is what distinguishes Côte d'Or and Chablis white Burg from most other Chardonnay. I don't think that white Burg drunk within 5 years so as to avoid the pox is close to being worth the high prices asked.

My finest white Burg memory is also Dom.Leflaive, a Chevalier-Montrachet 1985 drunk at about the turn of the millenium .

Thanks for the evocative notes, David. In the absence of pox, a 2000 1er cru from a good grower should by no means be old. Indeed I think that the ability to take on incredibly subtle nuances after 10 years or so whilst remaining fresh is what distinguishes Côte d'Or and Chablis white Burg from most other Chardonnay. I don't think that white Burg drunk within 5 years so as to avoid the pox is close to being worth the high prices asked.

My finest white Burg memory is also Dom.Leflaive, a Chevalier-Montrachet 1985 drunk at about the turn of the millenium .

I agree with your sentiments. There seems to be a lot of collectors over here who are totally paranoid about premature oxidation, now drinking their white burgs and chablis way too early. The French need to work hard to eradicate this problem. I experienced my ever first bottle of poxed Fevre Chablis (2005 Premier Cru) a week ago. Sink job.