From ripe and – by the taste of it – subtly-desiccated fruit, Cazin’s subtly sweet yet persistently bright 2008 Cour-Cheverny Cuvee Renaissance smells of pineapple, lemon, hedge flowers, almond extract; offers prickly citrus zest, pungent white pepper, piquant toasted nuts, and suggestions of crushed stone to compliment its juicy palate appeal, and finishes with bittersweet, insistently tart persistence. There have been more profound exemplars of this cuvee but seldom one so likely to find immediate and exemplary employment at table. That said, you can expect this to be well worth following for at least 8-10 years. Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334 8191