The 1992s were bottled a month before I saw them, and despite Niellon's belief that they were subdued, I was blown away by most of them. Niellon's perennially low yields are reflected in his wines. Even in lighter years, they possess a superb mid-palate and that unctuous, rich, chewy personality that can only emanate from low yielding Chardonnay vines. The 1992s are all fat, ripe, concentrated wines. If you have the requisite money and contacts, the wine to buy is Niellon's Batard-Montrachet, made from a vineyard planted in 1927. It is one of the great white wines of Burgundy. The 1992 is no exception, offering a huge nose and mouthfeel of massively extracted Chardonnay fruit. There is a melange of aromas and flavors, ranging from oranges, apples, and coconuts, to buttered vanilla cookies and honey. Huge and super-rich, it is capable of another 10-15 years of cellaring. Absolutely magnificent!
Michel Niellon is among the top half dozen white burgundy producers. He consistently turns out brilliant, frequently awesome wines from his tiny domaine of 12.5 acres. In terms of decadence and complexity, Niellon is at the top of my personal shopping list. He fashioned terrific 1992s and 1991s.
Importer: Chateau and Estates, New York, NY